Tuesday 28 February 2006
ABC NT Country Hour

Report by Adrienne Francis

So while the uranium industry pushes it's campaign to grow the industry on home soil here in Australia, long running opposition to this industry and the nuclear power cycle continues.

Earlier thismorning, around fifteen members of the Territories main environmental lobbying organisation, the NT Environment Centre, peacefully protested in front of the seminar venue. Some donned gas masks, others braved the wet season humidity and wore white whole body mock radium suits. Others held banners and slogans up to the busy morning commuters on Gilrith Avenue near Mindil Beach. Country Hour entered the fray to hear what motivates the protesters.

"We are holding a purple banner. It was part of the human rights art exhibition this year to let people write whatever they want to write. Personally, whenever it comes to the nuclear cycle I never here positive stories from those dealing with the side effects. I hear only negativity and stories of high stress."

"I'm a scientist, and I can't see any good from uranium. I can see profits but over people, the environment and dead bodies. What radiation tends to do is damage DNA and that includes plants. Everything is effected. We have been conned, major con and I think it's really bad for the world. There is a risk at the mining stage but that's probably the lowest risk."