urg::: Alice Springs Council predicts growing opposition to dump plan

[Len Kanaar - FoE Sydney]

BTW - nice satellite image of Lucas Heights at
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/09/13/google_earth_threatens_democracy/


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ABC

Last Update: Wednesday, September 14, 2005. 7:07am (AEST)
Council predicts growing opposition to dump plan

Alice Springs Town Council says it is only a matter of time before 
the central Australian groups opposed to a nuclear waste dump unite 
in a major campaign against it.

The Federal Government has proposed three Northern Territory sites 
for the dump and two of them are in central Australia.

Yesterday, traditional owners living near both of those sites voiced 
their opposition to a dump.

Alice Springs Mayor Fran Kilgariff says the council has resolved to 
oppose the dump and sees the campaign picking up momentum soon.

"I think what's going to happen is a number of groups around Alice 
Springs who have already expressed their opposition or are still 
discussing it will unite, I think, to present some sort of campaign 
against this," she said.

The council says it is supporting the traditional owners of land 
north of the town in their opposition to the dump plan.

The Arrente traditional owners of the Mt Everard site, about 30 
kilometres from Alice Springs, have voiced their opposition.

Mayor Kilgariff says the council has written to Science Minister 
Brendan Nelson.

"Telling him of our objection to the complete lack of consultation 
... I guess it's just another indication that people in Alice Springs 
and in central Australia generally don't want the physical presence 
of these dumps or the stigma that's invariably attached to having 
them in your neighbourhood," she said.


© 2005 Australian Broadcasting Corporation