At 9:30am this morning, Traditional Owners from the Muckaty Land Trust, 100km north of Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory, will visit Resources and Energy Martin Ferguson in his Batman Electorate office in Melbourne and invite him to their community to discuss the federal radioactive waste dump plan.

An area within the Land Trust, nominated by the Northern Land Council, is one of four NT sites currently under assessment for the federal dump. The proposal for a Territory site is being pushed along under law drawn up by the previous Howard government, the Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act (CRWMA 2005).

The CRWMA allows the federal government to override NT laws that make a federal radioactive dump illegal in the Territory and also wipes out the right of Traditional Owners to challenge nominations or oppose the dump being built on their country.

New legislation proposed by the Australian Greens, the Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management (Repeal and Consequential Amendment) Bill 2008, is now under consideration through a Senate Inquiry process. If passed, this legislation would essentially wipe out the powers of the Federal Government to force the dump on the NT, with the NT Government and Territorians steadfastly opposed to hosting the federal facility.

The Muckaty group is in Melbourne attending an International Indigenous Solidarity Conference, which yesterday passed a resolution of support calling for the CRWMA to be repealed and the NT dump plan to be scrapped.

Gladys Brown, Muckaty traditional owner from the Milwayi clan, said the conference showed the level of national and international support for their campaign. “People are supporting us and giving us the strength to keep saying no. We are here now because we want to give a message to Minister Martin Ferguson- we want him to come to the Northern Territory. We want him to come face to face with us so we can talk”.

Dianne Stokes from the Yapa Yapa clan added, “We are inviting Mr Ferguson to come to Tennant Creek because we want him to come and listen to the right Traditional Owners of that land. We want him to go to the proposed dump site and learn about the story for that country. We want him to hear from the main Warlmanpa Traditional Owners of the Land Trust”.

“He needs to hear the true story.”

“The Northern Land Council isn’t coming back to talk to the Traditional Owners but keeps talking to government on our behalf. They don’t want to listen to us- they are closing their ears and turning their backs. We have talked in the media, sent letters and marched in Tennant Creek to say no to the dump. We will keep saying no, “ Ms Stokes emphasised.

Mark Lane from the Ngapa clan explained “there are five clans in the Muckaty Land Trust, and Ngapa clan itself has 3 groups. All of them must decide together what happens in the Land Trust. Some of the Ngapa people are not clear about the message that Northern Land Council gave the government - some Ngapa people are still saying they didn’t say yes”.

“We will be having a ceremony on the land where all 5 clans come together and show their dreamings. We will invite everyone to come and visit us on our country and learn,” Mr Lane concluded.

The group is urging the Minister and the ALP Government to support the Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management (Repeal and Consequential Amendment) Bill 2008.