A community rally will be held at 12pm today in front of Parliament House, Canberra to protest the federal government’s planned radioactive waste dump at Muckaty in the Northern Territory. People have travelled from across the country to attend and will be addressed by a broad range of speakers including Muckaty Traditional Owners, federal politicians, medical professionals, environment group representatives and union officials.

The Senate is scheduled to debate Minister Martin Ferguson’s National Radioactive Waste Management legislation as the first item of business (12:30pm). The law will entrench the Muckaty site as the only area under active consideration for a national radioactive dump.

Muckaty Traditional Owner Dianne Stokes said, “We will be outside the parliament today representing our traditional elders of the Warlmanpa and Warumungu tribes. The Senate will be going ahead debating the legislation without proper consultation and without our consent. They have not come to sit with the rightful Traditional Owners.”

Kylie Sambo from Muckaty added, “As one of the young Kurtungurlu from the Milwayi tribe we keep saying over and over again that our Elders weren’t consulted properly. They didn’t have any idea what sort of poison they’re dealing with. As a young person I care about my future and about the future of the children in my community. If they put the waste dump in Muckaty it’s going to be very unhealthy for us. Everyone talks about children being the future, well I’m one of the future generation and I say I don’t want the waste dump in my home or anywhere in the Northern Territory.”

Medical professionals are attending the rally to reaffirm that nuclear medicine in Australia does not require a remote dump site.

Dr Sue Wareham, immediate past president of Medical Association for Prevention of War (MAPW) said, “Contrary to the false statements made by its proponents, a nuclear waste dump is not needed for the continuation of nuclear medicine. This is cheap political spin to impose radioactive waste, which no one wants, on Aboriginal people. If it is safe, let Minister Martin Ferguson take it in his electorate.”

Unions across the country have played an active role in supporting the communities opposing the Northern Territory dump plan. Peter Simpson, Electrical Trade Union (ETU) Queensland Secretary stated, “The ETU Queensland /Northern Territory is determined to fight the building of the Muckaty waste dump, due to the fact that Traditional Owners’ wishes have been ignored. The Northern Territory should never be allowed to become Australia's nuclear waste dump. Traditional Owners and workers don’t need exposure to this material and we will fight this plan until there is a fair outcome for workers and communities”

Other speakers include Senator Scott Ludlam, Adam Bandt MP, Dr Helen Caldicott (People for a Nuclear Free Australia) and Dave Sweeney (Australian Conservation Foundation). Statements will be read from the Northern Territory Government, the Maritime Union of Australia and the Nightcliff Uniting Church (Darwin).