WGAR News: NT nuclear waste dump plans contested

Submitted by WGAR - Working ... on Tue, 10/05/2011 - 10:21am

Newsletter date: 10 May 2011

Contents:
* NT nuclear waste dump plans contested
* Background to Muckaty nuclear waste dump
* Interview with Walpiri man Ned Hargraves on the NT Intervention
* Speech by Aboriginal activist Barbara Shaw on the NT Intervention
* Video: Lake Tyers fight for rights to self-determination
* Background to blockade by Aboriginal women of Lake Tyers
* More on Tracker, the Aboriginal rights-based magazine
* Other Northern Territory (NT) Intervention articles
* Background to the Northern Territory (NT) Intervention
* Other Aboriginal articles

NT NUCLEAR WASTE DUMP PLANS CONTESTED:

- News

SMH: Ownership of nuclear waste site disputed
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/ownership-of-nuclear-waste-site-disput...
9 May 11: "DOCUMENTS unearthed in the National Archives challenge the Gillard government's push to build a nuclear waste dump on disputed Aboriginal land near Tennant Creek, lawyers say. Martin Hyde, a senior associate of the law firm Maurice Blackburn, says the discovery of documents showing that one Aboriginal family group does not exclusively own the land raises serious questions about the nomination of the site by the Northern Land Council. ''This is vital information for the case,'' said Mr Hyde."

Age: NT nuclear dump plans face fresh challenge
http://www.theage.com.au/national/nt-nuclear-dump-plans-face-fresh-chall...
9 May 11: "Yesterday, Aborigines who oppose building the dump on Muckaty and environmentalists from around Australia staged a symbolic blocking of a bridge near Tennant Creek to signal that they would blockade the site if the dump was built there. ... Despite opposition from the Greens, the bill appears certain to pass because the Coalition supports the legislation."

ABC Rural: Indigenous groups protest nuclear waste dump at Muckaty Station
http://www.abc.net.au/rural/telegraph/content/2011/s3211475.htm?site=&so...
9 May 11: "Aborigines and environmentalists opposed to the dump staged a protest last weekend blocking a bridge near Tennant Creek with a seven-metre high inflatable drum marked 'radioactive'. The National Radioactive Waste Management Bill will go to the Senate this week and, if passed, will allow the government to build the dump. The bill has already passed the lower house and has bi-partisan support. Traditional owners have begun a challenge to the dump in the Federal Court."

ABC Darwin: Palmerston Mayor nuclear fallout with Federal Government
http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2011/05/09/3211495.htm
9 May 11: "The Mayor of Palmerston has strong concerns over the transportation of radioactive nuclear waste from Darwin Port through his community. The proposed nuclear waste dump at Muckaty Station is around 800 kilometres south-east of Palmerston, yet Palmerston Mayor Robert McLeod is very concerned about its impact. If the dump site goes ahead, radioactive waste from other states and overseas is likely to be transported through Palmerston in the dead of night."

ABC: NLC disputes nuclear waste dump claims
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/09/3211354.htm?section=justin
9 May 11: "The Northern Land Council (NLC) says claims disputing the traditional ownership of the Northern Territory site nominated for a nuclear waste dump are "misplaced". ... But lawyers for Aboriginal clans opposed to the project say they have documents showing the subgroup does not have exclusive ownership of the site, about 100 kilometres north of Tennant Creek. ... Meanwhile, the Greens say more than 100 people protested yesterday in Tennant Creek against the nuclear waste dump."

Brisbane Times: Nuclear debate shrouded in budget cloud
http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-national/nuclear-debate-s...
9 May 11: "The Australian Greens have accused Labor of trying to hide a probably heated Senate debate on nuclear waste behind the smokescreen of the 2011 federal budget. Greens Senator Scott Ludlam said legislation to set up Australia's first nuclear waste dump at Muckaty Station, near Tennant Creek, was listed for debate in the Senate on Tuesday, when the federal budget will be handed down. "It's a sign that the government's got something to hide ... it's curious timing," he told AAP. "It's nasty scheduling. ... "

9 News: NT nuclear waste dump plan forges ahead
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8246023/wa-nuclear-waste-dump-plan-f...
7 May 11: "A federal government plan to dump nuclear waste on Aboriginal land is set to be debated in Parliament, as a legal battle over the site continues in court. ... But traditional owners have launched legal action against the proposal, claiming they were not properly consulted about the nomination. ... Protestors from across Australia are expected to flock to Tennant Creek tomorrow to join traditional owners in rallying against the plan ahead of Tuesday's debate."

- Related News

Government News: Nuclear debate heats up behind closed doors
http://www.governmentnews.com.au/2011/05/06/article/Nuclear-debate-heats...
6 May 11: "According to Bob Hawke the greatest contribution Australia could make to the nuclear cycle would be to take the world’s nuclear waste. The former prime minister made the statement during the 'Reflections on the Australia-United States Alliance' conference, held at the United States Studies Centre - University of Sydney. Mr Hawke said the world’s safest geological locations for deposits of nuclear waste were in North West Australia and the Northern Territory."

- Analysis / Opinion

Independent Australia: Plans for Australia to become world’s nuclear waste dump
http://www.independentaustralia.net/2011/politics/australia-open-for-nuc...
18 Apr 11: "Despite the Fukushima disaster, Alexander Downer has come out in support of Australia storing the world’s nuclear waste. Sandi Keane looks at the secret plans developed by John Howard and George W. Bush to turn Australia into the world’s radioactive waste dump, with healthy profits for all. Is this how Tony Abbott plans to pay for "direct action" on climate change?"

BACKGROUND TO MUCKATY NUCLEAR WASTE DUMP:

Beyond Nuclear Initiative:
http://beyondnuclearinitiative.wordpress.com/

Beyond Nuclear Initiative: Muckaty:
http://beyondnuclearinitiative.wordpress.com/muckaty/

YouTube: Muckaty Voices:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcuNpT84Ovo

Proposed Radioactive Waste Dump at Muckaty, NT
Briefing Paper - February 2011
Jim Green B.Med.Sci.(Hons.), PhD
National nuclear campaigner - Friends of the Earth, Australia
Friends of the Earth: http://www.foe.org.au/anti-nuclear/issues/oz/nontdump/Dump%20briefing%20...

Nuclear Territory News: Waste Dump News:
http://ntne.ws/articles/article.php?section=waste

WGAR News: Nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory (2 Mar 10)
http://indymedia.org.au/2010/03/02/wgar-news-nuclear-waste-dump-in-the-n...

WGAR News: Muckaty Station Nuclear Waste Dump (20 Mar 10)
http://groups.google.com.au/group/foblmail/browse_thread/thread/ddc393bb...

WGAR News: Nuclear Waste Dump (28 Mar 10)
http://indymedia.org.au/2010/03/28/wgar-news-nuclear-waste-dump-close-th...

WGAR News: Muckaty Radioactive Waste Dump (4 Apr 10)
http://indymedia.org.au/2010/04/03/wgar-news-muckaty-radioactive-waste-d...

WGAR News: National day of action against Muckaty nuclear waste dump: 12th April!
http://indymedia.org.au/2010/04/10/wgar-news-national-day-of-action-agai...

WGAR News: Nuclear Waste Dump: Senate inquiry in Darwin; Nationwide protests (17 Apr 10)
http://indymedia.org.au/2010/04/16/wgar-news-nuclear-waste-dump-senate-i...

WGAR News: Update: Muckaty Station Nuclear Waste Dump (23 Apr 10)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2010/04/22/wgar-news-raw-sewage-dumped-in-ampila...

WGAR News: Update on Muckaty Station Nuclear Waste Dump (2 May 10)
http://wgar.wordpress.com/2010/05/02/02052010-update-on-muckaty-station-...

WGAR News: "Muckaty Voices" film; Senate Report into nuclear waste dump plan (16 May 10)
https://indymedia.org.au/2010/05/16/wgar-news-muckaty-voices-film-senate...

WGAR News: Federal Court legal challenge over nuclear waste dump (13 Jun 10)
http://lists.perthimc.asn.au/pipermail/blackgreensolidarity/2010-June/00...

WGAR News: PM Gillard: No change on Muckaty nuclear waste dump (12 Jul 10)
http://lists.perthimc.asn.au/pipermail/blackgreensolidarity/2010-July/00...

WGAR News: Legislation passes enabling a nuclear waste dump to be built at Muckaty, NT (1 Mar 11)
http://indymedia.org.au/2011/03/01/wgar-news-legislation-passes-enabling...

WGAR News: Federal Court challenge over nuclear dump resumes in August (16 Mar 11)
http://indymedia.org.au/2011/03/16/wgar-news-federal-court-challenge-ove...

WGAR News: Interview with Kylie Sambo, Mark Lane and Dr. Jim Green about Muckaty nuclear waste dump (21 Mar 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/03/21/wgar-news-protest-blockade-by-lake-ty...

WGAR News: Nuclear waste legislation must wait until objections heard in Federal Court (23 Mar 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/03/23/wgar-news-international-day-for-the-e...

WGAR News: Aboriginal groups protest against nuclear waste dump (26 Mar 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/03/26/wgar-news-police-used-to-break-blocka...

WGAR News: Crisis in Japan and Muckaty Nuclear Waste Dump (2 Apr 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/04/02/wgar-news-online-petition-about-abori...

WGAR News: Muckaty Traditional Owners speak out (14 Apr 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/04/14/wgar-news-deaths-in-custody-and-abori...

WGAR News: Help Stop the Muckaty Radioactive Waste Dump - May 7-8 (24 Apr 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/04/24/wgar-news-two-urgent-petitions-on-the...

WGAR News: "Keep the poison out of Muckaty" - community rally on May 7, 2011 (30 Apr 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/04/30/wgar-news-keep-the-poison-out-of-muck...

INTERVIEW WITH WALPIRI MAN NED HARGRAVES ON THE NT INTERVENTION:

- Audio

Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association:
Ned Hargraves on CAAMA radio
http://caama.com.au/17110
5 May 11: "Walpiri man Ned Hargraves tells CAAMA radio about how his people continue to struggle with the Northern Territory Intervention."

SPEECH BY ABORIGINAL ACTIVIST BARBARA SHAW ON THE NT INTERVENTION:

- Audio

3CR Community Radio 855 AM - Podcasts
[scroll down page] http://www.3cr.org.au/podcast
Stick Together | 9 May 2011
[download program] http://pod.3cr.org.au/pod/3CRCast-2011-05-08-37725.mp3
9 May 11: "Indigenous workers rights in the Northern Territory; casualisation and current attacks on working conditions; the Australian working Census and a message of international solidarity - hear from five different speakers in Melbourne and Brisbane at the 2011 May Day Celebrations."

VIDEO: LAKE TYERS FIGHT FOR RIGHTS TO SELF-DETERMINATION:

- Video

Living Black on SBS: Loss of Trust
http://www.sbs.com.au/shows/livingblack/about/page/i/1/h/Coming-Up/
8 May 11: "Members of the Lake Tyres Aborignal community are calling for the Victorian Government to restore the limited autonomy they enjoyed up until 2005. Those rights were removed due to mismanagement. Community members have likened their situation to the Northern Territory intervention, and want to run their own affairs again."

- Commentary

Living Black on SBS: Loss of Trust
http://www.sbs.com.au/shows/livingblack/blog/single/ID/123596/Loss-of-Tr...
5 May 11: "In March this year a blockade was set up to protest against Aboriginal Affairs Victoria, or AAV, for imposing an administrator to manage the community's affairs. ... "Basically we're fighting for our rights to self-determination so that we can govern ourselves… and we can run our own affairs. We don't need white men dictating to us all the time telling us what we can and can't do," said Leanne Edwards. What happens next is anyone’s guess, but the Koori grapevine says the blockade will return."

BACKGROUND TO BLOCKADE BY ABORIGINAL WOMEN OF LAKE TYERS:

WGAR News: Aboriginal women of Lake Tyers are staging a blockade (12 Mar 11)
http://www.indymedia.org.au/2011/03/12/wgar-news-aboriginal-women-of-lak...

WGAR News: More on the blockade by Aboriginal women of Lake Tyers (16 Mar 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/03/16/wgar-news-federal-court-challenge-ove...

WGAR News: Protest blockade by Lake Tyers Aboriginal women continues (21 Mar 11)
http://indymedia.org.au/2011/03/21/wgar-news-protest-blockade-by-lake-ty...

WGAR News: More on the blockade by Lake Tyers Aboriginal women (23 Mar 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/03/23/wgar-news-international-day-for-the-e...

WGAR News: Police used to break blockade by Aboriginal women of Lake Tyers (26 Mar 11)
http://indymedia.org.au/2011/03/26/wgar-news-police-used-to-break-blocka...

WGAR News: Interview with Lake Tyers Women's spokesperson, Leanne Edwards (7 Apr 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/04/07/wgar-news-updates-on-nt-intervention-...

WGAR News: Interview with Leanne Edwards from Lake Tyres Aboriginal community (14 Apr 11)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2011/04/14/wgar-news-deaths-in-custody-and-abori...

MORE ON TRACKER, THE ABORIGINAL RIGHTS-BASED MAGAZINE:

The Tracker magazine: http://www.thetracker.com.au

- Media Release

New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council: Tracker Magazine is here!
NSWALC celebrates the launch of groundbreaking Aboriginal magazine
http://www.alc.org.au/newsroom/media-releases/tracker-magazine-is-here.aspx
28 Apr 11: "NSWALC Chairwoman, Bev Manton, says Tracker will be an important message stick for Aboriginal people around the nation. "We have several forms of Aboriginal journalism around the country, but the NSW Aboriginal Land Council believed a gap currently exists," Cr Manton said. "We need a strong, campaigning magazine to look hard at the issues affecting our people, and ensure government and mainstream media are held to account. We need a space to correct the frequent misreporting and misunderstandings aired through the mainstream media.""

- Video

YouTube: Tracker Magazine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56FvzQUwfMg
27 Apr 11: "Tracker Magazine launch video prepared for the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council State Conference. Exploring the nuts and bolts of Australia's first rights based Aboriginal journal."

- Audio

Indigenous radio station 98.9FM Brisbane
Let's Talk - Indigenous presented talkback:
http://989fm.com.au/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29
20 Apr 11: "Chris Graham: Tiga Bayles spoke with Chris Graham Managing Editor of Tracker Magazine, former editor and founder of the National Indigenous Times newspaper and former Journalist for the New South Whales Aboriginal Land Council. They spoke about the new Tracker Magazine."
Listen to this interview on-line:
http://www.989fm.com.au/podcasting/audio/98fm-podcast-2011-04-20-71151.mp3

OTHER NORTHERN TERRITORY (NT) INTERVENTION ARTICLES:

- Media Release

Rachel Siewert: One-sided approach will not fix problem drinking in the Territory
http://rachel-siewert.greensmps.org.au/content/media-release/one-sided-a...
7 May 11: "The Australian Greens are concerned that newly passed alcohol laws in the Northern Territory focus on only one side of the problem - by getting tough on drinkers while ignoring the rivers of cheap grog that flow through the NT.
"I am wary of focusing too much on drinkers and not enough on restricting supply," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on Aboriginal Issues said today.
"The Northern Territory has the highest per capita rates of alcohol consumption in Australia, and some of the highest in the world. This is in great part because of the huge number of licensed premises, many of which are inappropriate," said Senator Siewert."

- News

ABC: Fears remote communities missing out on housing
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/09/3211766.htm
9 May 11: "The chief executive of the Central Desert Shire says local councillors are concerned that funds allocated to housing by the Territory and Federal Governments are only being funnelled to so-called growth towns. Roydon Robertson says he has written letters to all government members connected to the issue. He says he hopes the politicians will see that other towns are just as in need of appropriate housing. Mr Robertson says some communities are being completely overlooked."

- Audio

Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association:
Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott on CAAMA
http://caama.com.au/federal-opposition-leader-tony-abbott-on-caama
3 May 11: "Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott visited Alice Springs last week, meeting with traditional land owners to discuss the many issues facing Aboriginal people in Central Australia. We caught up with Mr Abbott before he returned to Canberra. He speaks to CAAMA Radio’s Nerida Currey on Strong Voices."

BACKGROUND TO THE NORTHERN TERRITORY (NT) INTERVENTION:

Creative Spirits: Northern Territory Emergence Response (NTER) - "The Intervention":
http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/politics/northern-terr...

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: Northern Territory National Emergency Response: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Territory_intervention

The Greens: Rachel Siewert: Northern Territory Intervention: http://rachel-siewert.greensmps.org.au/category/issues/indigenous-rights...

CAAMA (Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association) - NT Intervention: http://caama.com.au/?s=NT+Intervention

Treaty Republic - Northern Territory Intervention: http://treatyrepublic.net/search/node/Northern%20Territory%20Intervention

STICS (Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney): http://stoptheintervention.org/

Crikey - NT Intervention: http://www.crikey.com.au/topic/nt-intervention/

IRAG (Intervention Rollback Action Group): Mparntwe - Alice Springs: http://rollbacktheintervention.wordpress.com/

Jobs with Justice: http://jobswithjustice.wordpress.com/

MAIC (Melbourne Anti-Intervention Collective): http://maicollective.blogspot.com/

ANTaR (Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation) - NT intervention: http://www.antar.org.au/issues_and_campaigns/nt_intervention

'concerned Australians': Without Justice there can be no Reconciliation:
http://www.concernedaustralians.com.au/

New Matilda - northern territory intervention: http://newmatilda.com/tag/northern-territory-intervention

Amnesty International Australia: Looking back at the Northern Territory Intervention: http://www.amnesty.org.au/indigenous-rights/comments/24460/

Defending Indigenous Rights: http://defendingindigenousrights.wordpress.com/

Intervention walk-off's Blog: http://interventionwalkoff.wordpress.com/

Australian Human Rights Commission: Northern Territory ‘Emergency Response’ intervention: http://www.hreoc.gov.au/social_justice/intervention/index.html

FAIRA; Human Rights Law Resource Centre; NACLC: Australia’s compliance with CERD - Fact Sheet 2: Northern Territory Intervention: http://www.hrlrc.org.au/files/Fact-Sheet-2-NT-Intervention.pdf

Green Left: Northern Territory intervention: myths and facts: http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/39732

WGAR (Working Group for Aboriginal Rights): http://wgar.info/