Thursday 13th October 2005

The Hon Warren Snowdon MP
Labor Member for Lingiari

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Indigenous Affairs

The Member for Lingiari, Warren Snowdon, was this morning ejected from the Parliament for standing up to the Federal Government’s attempts to impose a nuclear waste dump on the people of the Northern Territory.

Science Minister Brendan Nelson this morning introduced two pieces of legislation into Parliament that would allow it establish a dump near either Alice Springs or Katherine. The laws also set aside heritage and environmental protection laws, and prevent reviews under the Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act of any decision made on a dump site.

“This waste dump legislation is an outrageous abuse of power, and another kick in the guts for the Territory by the Howard Government,” Mr Snowdon said.

“The Government is taking this action not because it is the best option for storing nuclear waste. Their own reports tell them that the best sites are elsewhere, not in the NT.

“They are doing this just because they can. It is not about science or the environment, it is just about politics.” he said.

“They are removing any opportunity for people to oppose this, or to have decisions reviewed. They are not even going to allow examination of heritage and environmental issues under Commonwealth law.

Mr Snowdon pointed to a list of potential dump sites produced by the National Sites Advisory Committee, which declared the NT was not appropriate. But the list did find six sites in New South Wales and Victoria that were considered ‘most suitable’.

“This is a cynical political act which is opposed by the people of the NT, and the NT Government. They are doing this to avoid a fight in National Party seats, and because think they can push the NT around.

“We have had no real discussion or consultation from the Government. There has been no consideration for the people who are connected with the land,” he said.

“They have chosen to ignore the people who traditionally own the land or are affiliated to it, and they have completely over-ridden the express views of the Northern Territory Parliament and the people of the NT.

“It is a disgraceful intervention in the affairs of the NT, and an absolute abuse of process and power.”