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The Central Land Council has welcomed the news that two sites in the CLC region (Alcoota and Mt Everard) will be formally knocked off the list of possible sites for a national radioactive waste dump.
CLC Director, David Ross said that the traditional landowners of the two sites at Alcoota and Mt Everard worked very hard to prevent having a waste dump foisted on them.
“I congratulate the traditional landowners of Alcoota and Mt Everard, and other people who assisted them for their strength and determination in fighting against the imposition of a radioactive waste dump on their country. They will be relieved and happy to see legislation pass through parliament that confirms these sites are not going to proceed,” Mr Ross said.
Muckaty, north of Tennant Creek, is outside the Central Land Council’s region but some traditional owners of that site live in the CLC’s area.
“We have had representations from people who are opposed to the nomination of Muckaty and I can only urge the Minister and the NLC to now deal with the process under section 19 of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act which will ensure that a proper process is followed,” Mr Ross said.
“An outcome forced on a divided group will entrench divisions and lead to on-going disputation and social problems. This is certainly not best practice for site selection of radioactive facilities
“The history of the siting of a waste dump in the Northern Territory has been a litany of broken promises and coercive actions from the present and the former Australian Governments,” he said.
“It’s been shoved down peoples throats and I think that people need to go back to fair and equitable processes regardless of whether it’s a nominated site or not,” Mr Ross said.
24 February 2010
