Five students interrupted a speech by Martin Ferguson, Minister for Energy and Resources, and Minister for Tourism, at the Sydney Institute earlier tonight.

Students were there to make known their opposition to Ferguson’s plans for a national radioactive waste depository at Muckaty in the Northern Territory.

Ferguson was speaking on the topic of “Resources, Energy at the Future” at the function, which was held in Sydney city’s Governor Philip Tower and hosted by the Sydney Institute.

As Ferguson began his speech, students rose to chant “land rights, not dump sites” and “don’t muck with Muckaty”. 

“We felt that we needed to show Martin Ferguson that we are unhappy about his announcement last week that he would pursue this waste dump at Muckaty,” explained Ryan Leonard, spokesperson for the Sydney University Climate Action Collective.

“Ferguson pretends that traditional owners support the dump, but he knows this isn’t true. He received a letter from 25 Ngapa Traditional owners and 32 Traditional owners from other Muckaty groups declaring their opposition to the dump last year,” continued Leonard.

“I’m sure he also knows about the unanimous resolution passed by the NT Labor conference in April 2008 which called on the Federal Government to exclude Muckaty on the grounds that the nomination ‘was not made with the full and informed consent of all Traditional Owners and affected people and as such does not comply with the Aboriginal Land Rights Act.’

“Ferguson’s own department has acknowledged the waste could be stored at the Lucas Heights reactor, where most of it actually originated.

“Instead of looking to impose waste dumps on remote communities, we should be looking at how we can stop producing nuclear waste.

“Ferguson wants to impose a nuclear waste dump in the NT against the wishes of both Aboriginal landholders and the NT government.

“We decided to stand up and protest in support of those opposed to the dump. We would like to see the Minister and his government take some action to roll out renewable energy and large-scale solar than poison communities with nuclear waste,” Leonard concluded.

For interviews, contact Ryan Leonard from the Sydney University Climate Action Collective on 0424 622 043.

For more information on the Sydney University Climate Action Collective, visit http://climateactioncollective.wordpress.com