Goodooga, northwest NSW, 24 February 10 – Aboriginal people will be called from all over Australia to protest in the Northern Territory against any movement of nuclear waste across their traditional lands, an Aboriginal activist says.
Michael Anderson, chairman of an Aboriginal Summit Task Force recently elected in Canberra (click x above for picture), says in a media release: “Nothing will move down the former American Vice-President Dick Cheney’s Halliburton railway line from Darwin to Alice Springs.”
Mr. Anderson was responding on behalf of a majority of traditional land owners to an announcement by Resources and Energy Minister, Martin Ferguson, that the Federal Government will pursue the first Australian radioactive waste repository at Muckaty Station, about 120 kilometres north of Tennant Creek.
Mr. Anderson condemned the Bureau of Northern Land Council for “ignoring the majority of the traditional land owners who do not want their country, Muckaty Station, used for nuclear waste dumping”.
He said the general Australian public fails to understand how much influence the federal government has over organisations such as the Northern Land Council, whose CEO is appointed by government.
“Aboriginal people are under siege from the tyranny of a Labor government who have no consideration whatsoever for our rights,” Mr. Anderson charges.
“What we have here is a repeat of the Ranger uranium mine agreement fiasco. The arrangements that are being made are illegal and the government and the Northern Land Council know full well that the traditional owners have little to no chance of fighting against this dictatorship.
“But don’t underestimate our resolve as a resistance group. It is time the Australian government woke up and understands that they are pushing us into a corner and we will come out fighting with all that we have.
“Our communications thus far with the traditional owners suggest that a fight is looming, and maybe then the Australian public will get the picture.”
Mr Anderson, the last survivor of the four Black Power activists who set up the Aboriginal Embassy in Canberra in 1972, says he is pleased that the unions are offering support.
“The New Way Summit Task Force has been asked for their support to bring this matter to the attention of the public. The Task Force puts the Australian government on notice that like Noonkanber in Western Australia in 1979, we will call upon Aboriginal people to come from every part of this country and protest any movement of nuclear waste across our people’s traditional lands.”
“If the Europeans, Americans and China along with the rest of the world want to use nuclear power, then dump your rubbish on your own soil. You take it from us against our will and you now want to return it against our wishes.”
Muckaty Station is the country of the mother of Barbara Shaw (pictured left), Alice Springs camps activist and a member of the Summit Task Force. Ms Shaw commented on uranium mining in the Northern Territory at the Canberra summit from 30 January to 1 February.
She said only some people agreed to the dump “because they saw the dollar sign”. Although Elders had long warned that the radiation is dangerous, a lot more awareness needed to be created in the area. Listen to the extract at http://www.4shared.com/file/228500371/e1144837/Barbara_Shaw_MINING.html.
The Taskforce can be contacted through Michael Anderson at 02 68296355 landline, 04272 92 492 mobile, 02 68296375 fax, ngurampaa@bigpond.com.au
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Mr Anderson’s release in full:
As Chairman of the recently elected Aboriginal Summit Task Force, I condemn the Bureau of Northern Land Council for ignoring the majority of the traditional land owners who do not want their country, Muckaty Station, used for nuclear waste dumping.
What the general Australian public fails to understand is how much influence the Federal Government has over organizations such as the Northern Land Council. In the first instance the CEO of the Northern Land Council is a Government-appointed person as per the Federal Northern Territory Land Rights Act. This does not fare very well for its perceived independence. Aboriginal people are under siege from the tyranny of a Labor Government who have no consideration whatsoever for our rights.
What we have here is a repeat of the Ranger uranium mine agreement fiasco. The arrangements that are being made are illegal and the Government and the Northern Land Council know full well that the traditional owners have little to no chance of fighting against this dictatorship. But don’t underestimate our resolve as a resistance group.
The public must now realize what this Labor Government are doing to Aboriginal people, blackmailing them to sign over their lands for infra-structure development and housing, but the real issues are now coming to a head and this is just one example of what is coming.
We do have rights and freedoms and it is time the Australian Government woke up and understands that they are pushing us into a corner and we will come out fighting with all that we have.
It is pleasing to see that the unions are offering support and our communications thus far with the traditional owners suggest that a fight is looming and maybe then the Australian public will get the picture.
The New Way Summit Task Force has been asked for their support to bring this matter to the attention of the public. The task force puts the Australian Government on notice that like Noonkanber in Western Australia in 1979, we will call upon Aboriginal people to come from every part of this country and protest any movement of nuclear waste across our people’s traditional lands. Nothing will move down the former American Vice-President Dick Cheney’s Halliburton railway line from Darwin to Alice Springs.
“If the Europeans, Americans and China along with the rest of the world want to use nuclear power, then dump your rubbish on your own soil. You take it from us against our will and you now want to return it against our wishes. No, the energy-hungry consumers need to look to a better way of doing business, and in this case bury your own nuclear waste in your own back yards; if you believe what you are told by your leaders that it is safe then you have no fears.
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Labor breaking pre-election promises
By Dave Sweeney, Nuclear Free Campaigner, Australian Conservation Foundation
Before the 2007 federal election Labor promised its approach to nuclear waste would be based on a "consensual process of site selection" with "agreed scientific grounds for determining suitability" and "community consultation and support".
What a difference three years can make.
Labor's Resources Minister Martin Ferguson this week announced his intention to locate a radioactive waste dump at Muckaty in the Northern Territory.
The former Howard Government first nominated Muckaty, 120 kilometres north of Tennant Creek, as one of four possible sites for a nuclear waste dump in September 2007.
It was a controversial choice then and it remains controversial. The Commonwealth secured a 'voluntary nomination' agreement from the Northern Land Council. The terms of that agreement have never been made public.
Minister Ferguson claims the nomination has the "continuing support of the Ngapa clan" even though 57 Traditional Owners from the Muckaty Land Trust have written to him, inviting the Minister to visit their land and clearly stating they "don't want that rubbish dump to be here in Muckaty".
In Opposition federal Labor was highly critical of the NT dump plan and promised to end a decade of division over how and where to store radioactive waste.
Labor promised to repeal the undemocratic Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act and remove the threat of imposed radioactive waste dumps in favour of an open, transparent and inclusive process.
Sadly this clear commitment has not been acted on.
Traditional Owners continue to live with the threat of a nuclear dump. The gap between federal Labor's promise and performance is growing.
That gap has become a chasm with the introduction this week of Minister Ferguson's National Radioactive Waste Bill (2010).
This legislation fails to honour federal Labor's clear pre- election promise and existing policy position to establish a consensual process of site selection which looks to agreed scientific grounds for determining suitability and the centrality of community consultation and support.
The secretive process by which Muckaty was chosen is out of step with growing international support for genuine community consultation and consent in decisions about nuclear facilities, articulated in this way by the UK Committee on Radioactive Waste Management in 2007:
"There is growing recognition that it is ethically unacceptable to impose a radioactive waste facility on an unwilling community".
Imposing radioactive waste on the lands of Indigenous people in the 21st Century is not responsible management. It is shameful political expedience.
There are a number of furphies about the type of nuclear waste that is produced in Australia.
One furphy says because this nuclear waste is 'low' and 'intermediate' level it is not harmful to humans.
This waste may be produced in hospitals and university laboratories, but it is still radioactive and needs to be shielded from humans and the environment. If it leaks and gets into the air or water table it is dangerous to humans. It does emit radiation and can cause fatal cancers and other diseases.
Another furphy, this one directly peddled by the Minister, says access to nuclear medicine in Australia is dependent on putting a nuclear waste dump in the NT.
This is an emotive and improper linkage.
Most other advanced Western countries import the nuclear medicine they need. Australia should do the same.
Managing the resulting radioactive waste should be based on the principles of reduction at source and above ground dry storage.
Radioactive waste is a reality and a serious issue. Governments should not manage it using the carrot, stick and secrecy approach.
Unfortunately Martin Ferguson is continuing the processes initiated by the former Howard Government.
Anything less than full repeal of the Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act and a site selection process that is open, transparent and consultative would be inconsistent with Labor's 2007 election pledges and would continue the old, failed approach to nuclear waste and Indigenous communities.
It is now time for the Rudd Government to honour its 2007 election commitments on radioactive waste and for our leaders to stop playing political football with a human and environmental threat that will last far beyond their limited tenure.
Former Labor opponent now singing the toxic song
By Donna Jackson
It is our gammon NT Labor Senator Trish Crossin, who previously said strong things about opposing the NT nuke dump.....now she is singing Fergo's toxic song! Note they are all saying that the new radioactive waste bill restores rights and ensures community consultation. However, Nat Wasley and others who have looked the new legislation, state that there are numerous sub clauses that allow the Feds to overide any existing state or federal laws to accept a nomination for a dump site. So the situation has barely changed, just the old act has been scrapped and the 3 NT defence sites taken off the list, but the Muckaty site (nominated by NLC and a small handfull of TOs - desparate for money), still stands, and they can still overide the NT, NLC and TOs wishes. Very sneaky.
Hear Trish Crossin at http://www.4shared.com/file/230012697/a8de3c16/TrishOnABC.html
A seismologist interview at http://www.4shared.com/file/230011390/22c4c4b0/SeismologistABCRadio.html is interesting. Each time a national toxic dump has been announced for the Tennant Ck area, the ground shakes, and last year weird lights started appearing at Muckaty stn for several days, immediately following the Muckaty nomination. In the seismologists interview above, at the start they mention that back in 1988 when a toxic incinerator dump/facility was planned for Tennant Crk, just after it was announced they had 3 x 6+ Richter Scale quakes in a row! Di Stokes the TO fighting the nuke dump nw, also fought &and won) against the toxic incinerator dump plan. NT really is X-files territory!
Note also the NT Labor Govt is now finally saying they strongly oppose the dump being forced on us, but it looks as though they are just making a show of it, pretending to oppose it, to look good for local voters, they are good liars bar a very small handfull (ie Gerry Macarthy in whose electorate the dump is proposed, and Damian Hale - though even he is weakening his stance). The fact is Fergo has the Federal 'reins' and is keeping them all on a tight rope.
Other radio coverage at http://www.4shared.com/account/dir/23304529/b76cf045/sharing.html
Donna Jackson - Coordinator TEACA
Top End Aboriginal Conservation Alliance
Ph: (08) 8985 4784 Fax: (08) 8985 3985
Mobile: 0427 847186
Environment Hub, Shop 9
Rapid Creek Business Village
48 Trower Rd MILLNER NT 0810
Another issue is the educational apartheid in the NT
Another issue is the educational apartheid in the NT, seemingly accepted by the Federal Government.
The 7:30 Report program "A Tale of Two Schools" on ABC TV on 24 February 2010:
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2010/s2829391.htm
covered the issue.
It was also covered by the Centre for Independent Studies in their article "Pretend Schools: Educational Apartheid in the Northern Territory" which is available at:
http://www.cis.org.au/executive_highlights/EH2008/eh57208.html
It is also discussed in the article "Unequal Schools - A case study documenting what some people may call institutionalised racism in the Northern Territory of Australia." at:
http://www.culturalsurvival.org.au/docs/Case%20Study_Unequal%20Schools.pdf
Ms Julia Gillard and the Prime Minister Mr Kevin Rudd (in light of his apology to the stolen generation and other statements on closing the gap between indigenous and other Australians) should act to have these Homeland Learning Centres included under the "Building the Education Revolution" program or similar program of the Federal Government:
http://www.deewr.gov.au/Schooling/BuildingTheEducationRevolution/Pages/d...
as a matter of urgency.
The Federal government should also ensure that all other predominantly indigenous schools and learning centres (by whatever name known) in all states and territories are audited to ensure they have the same standards as other schools of similar size and enrolment numbers.
any means neccesary, this waste site does not happen...
any means neccesary, this waste site does not happen...
Senate inquiry into Muckaty Station
Dear friend,
You can help stop a nuclear waste dump at Muckaty Station.
The Federal Government has finally announced that it will repeal the Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act. But the repeal legislation is, if anything, more coercive and predatory than the Act it replaces.
Muckaty Station - just outside Tenant Creek in the NT - is now the most likely target for the national radioactive waste dump.
Many Traditional Owners of Muckaty Station do not want this nuclear waste dump on their lands. This week, I travelled to Tennant Creek and Muckaty Station to stand with the people who have put up a spirited defence of their country since this unwelcome proposal first saw the light of day.
It’s not over yet. With your help, we can still stop this.
I have secured Senate inquiry into the Bill – which provides an opportunity for everybody; experts, individuals, organisations, State and Territory governments and you - to suggest changes or to register support or protest.
There are many ways to work for a more democratic and respectful approach to radioactive waste management. Whether your submission is short or long, every contribution tells the government that people care about this issue enough to put their opinion on the public record.
All the information you need to put in a submission into the inquiry - due by March 15 - is on our website.
Please, take action today to stop the dump!
Yours in hope,
Scott Ludlam
www.greensmps.org.au
More Aborigines offering land for nuke dumping
By Donna Jackson
Click DJhttp://www.4shared.com/file/234491438/8c119f49/AmyNatABCRadio.html for a copy of the Radio Interview with Amy Lauder (one of the pro-nuke dump TO's) and Nat Wasley about the Muckaty Stn (just north of Tennant Crk) Nuke Dump issue. They also briefly interviewed Kim Hill (CEO-NLC), and read out a text I sent re UN-DRIP Article 29, in full, so that was a bonus. It is a fairly large file, so may take a couple of moments to download. It was broadcast during the afternoon ABC radio drive time show, (4:45pm) so should have been heard by a lot of people. Good interview Nat, you answered the questions really well.