A NUCLEAR waste dump at Muckaty remains on the agenda following an overwhelming Senate vote against repealing legislation which would foster its development.

The Federal Labor Government voted against repealing legislation which facilitates the selection of a site for the establishment and operation of a radioactive waste management facility.

Greens Senator Christine Milne called on the Government to repeal the Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act 2005 (CRWMA) and a 2006 amendment in the Senate last Thursday.

She also called for the repeal of all sites proposed or nominated under the legislation including Muckaty which was nominated by the Northern Land Council.

If chosen, the NLC and some of the Muckaty traditional owners would receive a lucrative pay out.

While refusing to cross the floor might be part of the usual political game plan it has become increasingly obvious that the Territory’s Labor Government representatives, MHR Warren Snowdon and Senator Trish Crossin don’t intend to make any moves of their own to repeal the legislation.

This is an Orwellian twist from the two who accused the Howard Government of “riding roughshod over the rights of all Territorians and Australians by shoving legislation through Federal Parliament.”

(Picture this: Pigs dressed resplendently in black coats, rat-catcher breeches and leather leggings, laughing, singing and guzzling beer around the table at the Manor Farm.)

They vowed to restore transparency, accountability and procedural fairness and said Labor would ensure any proposal for the siting of a nuclear waste facility on Aboriginal land in the NT would adhere to the requirements that exist under the Aboriginal Land Rights NT Act.

But so far the silence from the Left has been deafening.

Muckaty comes within the electorate of Barkly whose MLA, Elliot McAdam has written to Resources Minister Martin Ferguson asking whether the Federal Government still intends to repeal the CRWMA and when it plans to do so.

Mr McAdam told the Tennant and District Times he is still waiting for a reply.

“What’s happening here is a fundamental denial of natural justice,” he said.

“From the beginning the whole process has been secretive and contemptuous,” he said.

“Many of us were of the opinion that the election promise to repeal the CRWMA and amendment would be fulfilled as soon as the Rudd Government had the opportunity. This has not happened.”

Mr McAdam said locating a nuclear dump at Muckaty would have wide ranging and long term social and environmental consequences especially for those with traditional ties to land as well the pastoral industry.

“It just doesn’t make sense to put a nuclear dump in the middle of Australia’s prime cattle production country,” he said.

“The industry rides on the back of its clean, green image.

“The nuclear dump plan has to be scrapped and the Government should hear loud and clear that it should stop treating people of the Barkly with contempt. We deserve better.”