A Senate report into laws to authorise a controversial planned nuclear waste in the Northern Territory has failed to make any progress towards responsible radioactive waste management in Australia, the Australian Conservation Foundation said today.

The Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee has upheld Resource Minister Martin Ferguson’s move to continue a Howard Government plan to locate Australia’s first national radioactive waste dump at Muckaty, 120 kilometres north of Tennant Creek.

The arrangement between the Government and the Northern Land Council, which made possible the nomination of the Muckaty site, remains confidential.  Some members of the Muckaty Land Trust support a national waste dump in return for cash benefits and access to improved services, but many do not. 

"The NT dump plan is in conflict with ALP policy and clear commitments given before the 2007 federal election," said ACF nuclear free campaigner Dave Sweeney.

"The laws being used to advance the dump are a repackaging of Howard era laws that Labor condemned in opposition but now supports in government. 

"The committee acknowledges (clause 3.118) it has not seen the Government’s agreement with the Northern Land Council, yet it uses that same secret agreement to justify the claim that the nomination of Muckaty was voluntary (clause 3.116).

"The proposed National Radioactive Waste Management Bill 2010 removes procedural fairness and appeal rights from the Muckaty community, suspends the application of key Indigenous and environmental protections and overrides all Commonwealth, State and Territory laws that might delay or frustrate the opening of a waste dump.

"The Committee has opted for a short term politically palatable approach to a long term threat to human health and the environment.

"This proposed legislation remains controversial and contested.  Minister Ferguson’s legislation is a bad deal, not a done deal."