Tomorrow marks six years since the Howard federal government announced plans for a radioactive waste dump in the Northern Territory. There was immediate and resolute opposition from the Northern Territory Government and Traditional Owners and communities near all of the targeted sites.

Three Department of Defence sites were initially announced, with a site in the Muckaty Land Trust added to the short list after a controversial nomination by the Northern Land Council.

New legislation tabled by Resources Minister Martin Ferguson names the contentious Muckaty site as the only area to be further assessed, even though a federal court case by Traditional Owners is underway to challenge the nomination.

Muckaty Traditional Owner Dianne Stokes says, “it has been a long, hard struggle. We know we have support from people in Tennant Creek, across the NT and around the country. The government needs to listen to us that we are still saying no to the nuclear waste dump”.

Kath Martin, Traditional Owner for the proposed Mt Everard site says, “after 6 yrs we are still campaigning against a nuclear dump in the NT. Our support of the Muckaty community’s fight against the dump now is evidence of this”.

Mitch, who has family living at the communities closest to the Harts Range Defence site, has travelled extensively to voice opposition to the plan. “After six years of little or no consultation with the government, Aboriginal people at the four affected areas are still waiting in a uranium limbo. After having three Ministers in charge, no one has spoken with Traditional Owners or upheld their promise of proper consultation with the wider community. The handling of thenuclear waste issue has been appalling- we don’t see any signs of best practice being used. Traditional Owners at all sites and pastoral station owners are still united in the fight against this nuclear lie. We invite all people along the transport route to also unite and say this is not acceptable government practice.”

Vina Hornsby from the Katherine No Dump Action Group, which campaigns against the Fishers Ridge site says “Six years on and the proposal to build the waste dump at Muckaty remains one of political expedience; what scientific evaluations show this is an optimal site? Where is the evidence that ought to be collated by now? Local people remain opposed to this development and fellow Territorians support them wholeheartedly”.

Beyond Nuclear Initiative coordinator Natalie Wasley has worked extensively with the communities near all of the proposed sites. “Successive federal governments have been unable to force a dump through.The original plan was to have a dump built by now but there is still not even a site selected. Local community opposition is supported by national trade unions, health professionals, environment groups and communities along the transport routes and this support is growing". 

"Internationally it is recognised that decide-announce-defend approaches on radioactive management do not work and the draconian nature of the NT plan has now been highlighted at numerous international conferences and film festivals.Genuine community involvement and consent in radioactive waste management processes are essential. It is time to dump the NT plan and undertake an independent inquiry into radioactive waste management,” Ms Wasley concluded.