The Central Land Council says more than a year-and-a-half since the Rudd Labor government was elected to power and four years after the previous Howard government initiated moves to impose a nuclear waste dump on the Northern Territory it’s time for promises to be fulfilled.

 

The CLC’s director David Ross said attempts to force a dump on the Territory have been characterised by a series of broken promises.

 

“The first came when the Howard Government announced its plans to force a waste dump to be developed at either Mount Everard, Alcoota or Muckaty and Country Liberals Senator Nigel Scullion, who had said it would never happen on his watch, caved in to his political masters,” Mr Ross said.

 

“Another has been by the Labor Party. Before the election it promised to repeal the Commonwealth Bill enabling the Federal Government to force a nuclear waste dump on the Territory and to return to a system that would decide a location based on scientific evidence and consultation with land owners. So far, that promise hasn’t been fulfilled.”

 

Two of the proposed waste dump sites, Mount Everard and country adjoining Alcoota, are in the CLC’s region and traditional owners of those areas remain opposed to a waste dump being established on their country. The third at Muckaty is outside the CLC’s region but affects CLC constituents.

 

“A Senate inquiry has recommended the legislation be repealed and it’s about time Labor’s promises to do so were honoured,” Mr Ross said.