The federal government's bill to override the Northern Territory
government in its attempt to foist a nuclear waste dump on the community is completely unacceptable, Australian Greens energy spokesperson Senator Christine Milne said today.

The Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Bill 2005, introduced to the parliament today, gives the federal government power to impose a nuclear waste dump on the community, despite having said before the federal election last year that it would not be siting a dump there.

The bill overrides state and territory legislation which prohibits the
transportation and dumping of nuclear waste, and gives the federal
Minister for Science the power to determine the site of waste dump.

"It is completely unacceptable for the Commonwealth to ride roughshod over the Northern Territory," Senator Milne said in Canberra.

"The most appalling aspect of this legislation is the suspension of
provisions of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act.

"This bill shows a complete disregard by the federal government for Indigenous Australians and the environment, and contempt for democratic processes.

"The government should withdraw the bill."