Since the Australian Conservation Foundation launched its campaign against the proposed nuclear waste dump at Muckaty in the Northern Territory some 2700 signatures have been collected on the 'Dump the Dump' petition. Today, Dave Sweeney, ACF nuclear free campaigner, went to Energy and Resources Minister Martin Ferguson's office to deliver the petition, accompanied by anti-nuclear activists including members of Friends of the Earth ACE collective, who brought a trailer loaded with drums of 'radioactive waste' to highlight the message.
The office was locked down, as seems to be the way when concerned citizens want to make contact with their Member of Parliament, and it took the good offices of a police officer to get the door opened. Even then only two people were admitted, and the door hastily closed to prevent others from following. There was also an elderly gentleman who arrived on some business to find the door locked, but he was informed his was a matter for the State member and redirected accordingly. It was not clear what would have happened otherwise. After a short while the two re-emerged, along with the accompanying police office, in proud possession of a hand-written receipt for the petition 'addressed to Martin Ferguson'. Various plain-clothes AFP and others arrived in the meantime, but this also seems to be the way where Minister Ferguson is concerned...
http://www.acfonline.org.au/articles/news.asp?news_id=2917
http://melbourneprotests.wordpress.com/2010/07/26/muckaty-traditional-ow...
http://www.nuclearfreeways.org.au/
Report with more photos on Melbourne Protests - http://melbourneprotests.wordpress.com/2010/11/18/delivering-no-dump-pet...
