Wednesday 2 November 2005
The Age

The way has been cleared for a nuclear waste dump to be built in the Northern Territory under controversial laws passed by the House of Representatives today.

The government bills were passed despite opposition from Aboriginal land owners, the Northern Territory government and Labor.

The Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Bill gives the federal government sweeping powers to override a range of laws, including any passed by the Northern Territory government, that might frustrate the project.

It is a major step in the long search for a place to secure Australia's low and intermediate level radioactive waste, which was started by the Hawke government in 1992.

Science Minister Brendan Nelson said all efforts to manage the waste had been defeated by the "not in their backyard" attitude of state and territory governments.

After court action by South Australia forced a proposed national repository at Woomera to be abandoned last year, the federal government decided to find a place for waste produced by its own agencies, while the states would have to deal with their own.

Dr Nelson said detailed study of three sites on Commonwealth land in the territory would be carried out -- at Mount Everard and Harts Range near Alice Springs and Fishers Ridge, near Katherine.

He said the measures would put the government's power to investigate the sites and arrange for the handling, treatment, conditioning, transport, storage and disposal of radioactive waste beyond doubt.

This was necessary because the territory government had made it clear it would try to frustrate the project.

Dr Nelson said the waste would be stored safely and it was wrong to see the purpose-built facility as a municipal tip.

Opponents had mounted a public scare campaign without offering a practical alternative, he said.

Deputy leader Jenny Macklin said Labor opposed the measures because they were "extreme, arrogant and heavy-handed".

Ms Macklin said communities should be consulted about radioactive waste being dumped in their backyards.

"No-one will be able to hold the Howard government to account," she said.

Ms Macklin backed the Central Land Council (CLC), which opposes a dump being built on either of the sites near Alice Springs.

The CLC said many Aboriginal people lived near the proposed sites and were extremely worried about the proposals.

"They fought hard to get their country back and they believe they are not the ones to have to live with radioactive waste on their land," it said.

However the Northern Land Council, whose region covers the other potential site, has offered to find an alternative if those on the shortlist fall short.

Amendments proposed by the government's only territory MP David Tollner were accepted.

The amendments included specifically banning the storage of high-level waste, allowing the territory government or a land council to nominate a storage site, and allowing territory waste to be stored without charge.

The bills now go to the Senate.