TRADITIONAL owners opposed to the development of a nuclear waste dump on their land at Muckaty met in Tennant Creek this week in preparation for the legal challenge they have launched in the Federal Court of Australia.

They also discussed developments in the Government process after learning Resources Minister Martin Ferguson’s national radioactive waste management bill has to be reintroduced into the House of Representatives.

Members of four of the five clan groups with links to Muckaty wrote to all members of the new Parliament voicing their concerns and strong opposition to the nuclear dump plans.

They pointed out that at the recent election there was a huge swing against both major parties which they attributed directly to the plans to impose the dump on unwilling land owners.

The owners repeated an invitation to Minister Ferguson to meet with them at Muckaty although so far he has spurned several such offers.

While a hearing date for the Federal Court challenge has not yet been set, traditional owners and their legal team believe they have a strong case to contest the process of the Muckaty nomination.

Meanwhile, Greens Senator Scott Ludlam will present a speech to Parliament next Wednesday focussing on the efforts of those protesting about the nuclear waste facility at Muckaty.

The timing of his presentation is to coincide with International Day of Action on Radioactive Waste.