urg::: Nuclear poison not welcome

[Justin Tutty]

by Nigel Adlam, NT News, Wednesday 14 September 2005


A GROUP of traditional owners last night told the Federal Government 
that they don't want a nuclear waste facility on their land in Central 
Australia.

The site is at Mount Everard, 25km northwest of Alice Springs.

Traditional owner Benedict Stevens said she didn't want ``poison'' from 
the Lucas Heights nuclear plant in Sydney brought to Arrernte country.

``The Government says it is safe waste, but if it is so safe why are 
they thinking about bringing it halfway across the country to our 
land?'' she asked.

``The Government may think this place is remote but this is our home.

``The land is crucial to our way of life and we must protect the stories 
and dreamings that are significant to our law, our culture and our 
people.''

Ms Stevens said the Arrernte people were disappointed that Canberra had 
decided to ``dump'' nuclear waste on their land.

``The Government has already taken our land away from us,'' she said.

``We have learned to live with that. But now they want to destroy that 
land by putting a waste dump there.''

Ms Stevens said there had been no consultation with the traditional owners.

``The Government does not respect our way of life,'' she said.

The Mount Everard site is on Commonwealth land surrounded by Aboriginal 
land.

Science Minister Brendan Nelson said consultation with Territorians 
would start next month.

But he has said there will be no ``mucking about'' and the nuclear waste 
facility will be built in the Territory.