Wednesday 23 November 2005
The Australian
by Katharine Murphy

THE most powerful indigenous body in the Northern Territory has backed a controversial bid for a nuclear waste dump on its land, breaking ranks with the Territory Labor Government and environmentalists.

The backing given by Darwin-based Northern Land Council chief executive Norman Fry at a Senate inquiry in Canberra yesterday also put it at odds with its erstwhile ally, the Alice-Springs-based Central Land Council, which opposes the proposed dump for low-level waste.
"The full council has taken a decision to look at it and not turn our backs on it because the issue will not go away," Mr Fry said.

"We believe the commonwealth Government, regardless of its political colour, will have to deal with this issue. We thought it was very responsible of us to be at the table."

Mr Fry rejected suggestions from Democrats leader Lyn Allison that the NLC - which has interests in three mines including the Ranger uranium mine - had been promised economic benefits or inducements in return for endorsing the dump.

Territory Chief Minister Clare Martin blasted the Government at the inquiry yesterday, saying it had foisted the proposal on Territorians without consultation and had abandoned a science-based selection process for a viable site. "Fundamentally this bill overrides Northern Territory laws. No state would ever put up with a bill like this," Ms Martin said.

"I have a lot of concerned, confused and upset constituents who have no clear understanding of what is going on."

Australian Conservation Foundation spokesman Dave Sweeney raised concerns about the risks in transporting waste from the Lucas Heights reactor in Sydney to the Territory.

"There are so many variables in transport. Accidents happen, mistakes happen," Mr Sweeney told the inquiry, urging the Government to adopt a rigorous scientific and consultative process before proceeding.

"So much of this is political. The key science here has been political science and we need to get away from that," he said.

The inquiry is examining new Howard Government legislation overriding Territory objections to the construction of a nuclear waste facility at one of three short-list sites in the Top End.

The federal Government's decision to override Territory law on a dump comes at a time when it is also pushing for an expansion of uranium mining - also opposed by the Martin Government - having earlier this year resumed the Territory's power to approve new mines.

The Government wants to give local Aborigines a greater say in mining negotiations, beyond the land councils, which would include uranium mines.

Mr Fry said he supported the nuclear dump amendments, but would seek changes to protect sacred sites and to ensure landholders were protected.

He confirmed the council - which represents traditional owners in all mining and infrastructure developments - would seek to negotiate with the commonwealth about any future economic benefits associated with the facility.

"We are going to sit down and discuss these things," he said.

Speaking outside the inquiry, West Australian Premier Geoff Gallop said changing his Government's no-uranium-mines policy would create massive pressure to create a waste dump in the state.

Rejecting a suggestion that Western Australia should open uranium mines to supply Britain, Dr Gallop said the ALP had a principled position that had been taken to two elections.

"It was the British nuclear industry that was pushing hard a number of years ago to get a nuclear waste dump in this state and make no mistake that if we enter into this nuclear fuel cycle, the pressure to establish a nuclear waste dump in our state will be massive," Dr Gallop said.