Wednesday 7 December 2005
NT News
by Nigel Adlam

CHIEF Minister Clare Martin made a last desperate plea to Senator Nigel Scullion yesterday to vote against the nuclear waste facility.

The final vote will be taken in the Senate in Canberra today.

The CLP senator's support is crucial to the Federal Government getting the law passed.

But Senator Scullion said he would not change his mind. He said he would try to amend the legislation

to give land councils a say in the siting of the waste storage facility.

"Significant groups in the NT support this proposal and I'm disappointed the Chief Minister continues to ignore it," he said.

A national waste depository was necessary for a reactor to produce nuclear medicines.

Ms Martin said Senator Scullion should "show some courage" and vote against it.

"He has an obligation to stand up and vote against this dump being built in the Territory," she said.

"Senator Scullion admits Territorians have been lied to by the Federal Government over the siting of the dump. He also concedes a proper scientific process was not followed when the Federal Government decided the dump would be built on one of three defence sites in the Territory.

"The lack of science in the siting process was confirmed by last week's report from the Senate committee into the waste dump," Ms Martin said.

"That report recommended the states urgently reconsider their positions.

"This confirms the three Territory sites were not selected on the basis science but pure politics."

The Territory Government argued before the Senate committee that science must determine the site of a national waste storage depository.