Wednesday 30 November 2005
ECNT

The Environment Centre of the NT (ECNT) says Senator Scullion's statement today that he is going to vote for the draconian Commonwealth waste dump legislation because it takes account of Indigenous concerns are disingenuous and reprehensible.

"I will be supporting these bills principally because these bills contain absolutely essential amendments that reflect the wishes of the land owners of 26 per cent of the Northern Territory, which is the Northern Land Council." (ABC 30/11/05)

ECNT spokesperson Peter Robertson said that it is false to claim that the legislation has been amended 'to reflect the wishes of the NLC'.

"In fact, most of the amendments proposed by the NLC, as set out in their written submission to the Senate Inquiry, have NOT been adopted by the government. This includes proposed amendments in relation to veto and consent provisions and the protection of sacred sites.

"It appears that only one in four substantive amendments proposed by the NLC has actually been adopted. How this can be construed as 'reflecting the wishes of the NLC' beggars belief.

"Furthermore, two of the three identified waste dump sites are on Central Land Council land and they are strongly opposed to both the legislation and the dump – what about their wishes, Senator Scullion?

"This outrageous legislation, and the unjustified waste dump itself, are the government's responsibility – no one else's.

"It is still not too late for Senator Scullion to honour his promise, cross the floor, vote down the legislation, and force the Commonwealth to rethink its deeply flawed handling of the Lucas Heights reactor and radioactive waste issues."