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Post subject: Re: Fuck this... nuclear dumping ground on Aboriginal land, NT
Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:50 am
Site Admin
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:39 pm Posts: 1564 Location: Australia
Quote:
'Dismayed': nuclear dump concerns raised By Eric Tlozek
Muckaty Station is about 120 kilometres north of Tennant Creek. (ABC News: ABC News)
More than 100 people have attended a public meeting in Tennant Creek about a proposed nuclear waste dump near the Northern Territory town.
Muckaty Station, 120 kilometres north of Tennant Creek, is the only site currently under consideration to be Australia's radioactive waste repository.
Ngapa traditional owners signed an agreement with the previous federal government to nominate the site in exchange for about $12 million in compensation.
But Dianne Stokes, from a different clan in the Muckaty area, says the issue has caused great conflict in her community.
"It made people feel bad and sad and worried," she said.
"I broke down in tears when I heard that.
"I said that my heart was shattered.
"The Government didn't listen to me, not even [Resources Minister] Martin Ferguson."
Tennant Creek residents last night raised concerns about transport safety, flooding and earthquakes in the region.
Some pastoralists fear the dump could damage the reputation of beef in the Barkly area and affect exports.
Barkly MLA Gerry McCarthy says he is personally upset that federal Labor is pushing for a dump in the Northern Territory.
"We honestly believed that when the Labor Government was elected federally, that the legislation would be overturned and the debate would return to a national platform," he said.
"I was shocked, dismayed, disheartened when the reality was the complete opposite.
"We've got a fight on our hands."
However, other residents who did not attend the meeting told the ABC the dump could bring investment and services to Tennant Creek.
A Senate committee is investigating new laws about radioactive waste, with hearings to be held in the Northern Territory in the coming weeks.
Post subject: Re: Fuck this... nuclear dumping ground on Aboriginal land, NT
Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 8:56 pm
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 12:41 am Posts: 123 Location: Somerset, United Kingdom
What a f*cking nightmare of legislation, greed and corruption! (The UK is no better folks!). Non of this seems to be based on scientific input and expert advice - the picture I'm gathering is that the area is not totally suitable for several reasons, and that just a few traditional landowners can decide despite what other groups want. Sounds like someone also needs to address loopholes in The Land Rights Act - some official b*stard must have known exactly how to b*gger these people up!
Come to think of it how exactly is land ownership defined in (white) Law? Was that original piece of signed paper totally valid or can a case be made in court? If there is a 'cooling off' period for something daft as buying a washing maching on credit, then why not a nuclear dump? Some slick dudes know how to play this game for sure - roll up quietly in a big car, say something vague, tell them to keep quiet and offer a big fat cheque - is there any way of educating and protecting against this? Maybe an agreement in (black) Law?
Sadly, this all may now be too late this time - but if so, can anyone take something positive forward from this? - a lesson broadcast to all vulnerable groups everywhere in a way they understand, whether by newspaper, internet, mobile phone, message stick, meeting, 'business' or song etc.
Will raise with ENIAR (www.eniar.org) - see what they're proposing to do.
_________________ "...for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so..." Hamlet Act 2, scene 2, 239-251
I totally agree with you Dave. And am sad for these people too, and for their land.
Though if we think about it for a while... it is outrageous to have a nuclear dump on ANY land, who-ever are its owners, and even if it doesn't have any human owners, or even any SEA* ! Nuclear wastes can still be radioactive in millions of years ! Wether the chosen land is a seismic region or not is not even important looking that long ahead : it WILL move one day or another ! And the time-proof boxes in which they are stored simply cannot last that long. The problem is before that... we need to use up less energy to get less wastes... am I saying on the keyboard of my laptop connected to the internet through different satellites :-S And we need more "green" energy. These nuclear wastes are OUR own shit...
By the way...
Quote:
Fallout over NT nuclear dump site - LINDSAY MURDOCH AND TOM ARUP - February 27, 2010... In 2015 and 2016, about32 cubic metres of highly radioactive wastefrom the reprocessing of spent research reactor fuelthat Australia has sent to Scotland and France over decadesis planned to be transported to Muckaty, probably via ships docking at Darwin Harbour, 1000 kilometres to the north.
Now ain't THAT outrageous too ??? (Why France and Scotland ? Why not London suburbs ?!) Not only is it not our shit, but it also takes the risk to ship right across the globe !!! Twice !
* Sea, not nuclear but plastic wastes accumulating in the ocean :
Post subject: Re: Fuck this... nuclear dumping ground on Aboriginal land, NT
Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:04 pm
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 12:41 am Posts: 123 Location: Somerset, United Kingdom
Just alerted ENIAR (www.eniar.org) to this - there is nothing on their website! If they don't act then I'll b approaching high-profile people like Cherie Blair, Prince Charles etc who have a history of getting interested in similar. I must have a good think on how issues such as this can go through a 'PR process' to generate solid support in the UK...
_________________ "...for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so..." Hamlet Act 2, scene 2, 239-251
Post subject: Re: Fuck this... nuclear dumping ground on Aboriginal land, NT
Posted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 10:07 am
Site Admin
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:39 pm Posts: 1564 Location: Australia
Quote:
Nuke dump site offers should be considered: Abbott By Anna Henderson
Posted Thu Mar 4, 2010 4:
The Federal Opposition says other groups should be able to put forward their interest in hosting a national nuclear waste dump.
The Federal Government is pursuing Muckaty Station in the Northern Territory as the site for the dump, with a final decision still subject to environmental and scientific testing.
Muckaty Station is the Government's favoured option because traditional landowners have offered the site in exchange for compensation.
The Labor Government says it is aware of interest from other groups in the Northern Territory and elsewhere in Australia to take on the facility.
Tony Abbott says others should have the opportunity be considered.
"If people want to use their land there's no reason why they shouldn't put their hands up and say this is something that we'd like to do," he said.
"But in the end I think we only really need one nuclear waste repository, I'm not sure that we need several."
The Resources Minister, Martin Ferguson, says if environmental and scientific studies mean the Muckaty Station site cannot proceed, he is confident another site will be found to store Australia's nuclear waste.
"I've got a view that if the Muckaty nomination is not appropriate then I'll actually call for further nominations of land.
"Let's just say around Australia I am quietly confident there are a number of traditional owners who, including in the Northern Territory, who would like to explore this."
Post subject: Re: Fuck this... nuclear dumping ground on Aboriginal land, NT
Posted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 7:44 pm
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 12:41 am Posts: 123 Location: Somerset, United Kingdom
So, if u didn't nuke 'em with A-bomb testing in the 1950'2 and 60's, nuke 'em with weapon & plant excess in 2010 - is that government policy? The policy of assimilation replaced by the policy of irradiation? I don't see many pastoralists putting their hands up and getting $12m...
_________________ "...for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so..." Hamlet Act 2, scene 2, 239-251
What is so stunning to me is that it is the Aboriginal landowners THEMSELVES who accept that deal !!! This is a very tricky situation... It clearly comes either from a lack of information (not knowing the dangerosity to very very long term of nuclear wastes) or a real "don't-give-a-f*ck-ism". Anyway, it is a very bad way of handling the land-rights they just acquired ! And we Balandas cannot tell them that... after all it is now THEIR land again, they do what they want with it. If we start telling them what to do with it, it's like taking them back their right again, isn't it ? Some other Aboriginals (hopefully the majority) DO know the dangerosity and stupidity of such a decision... it is for them to make their leaders change their mind ! Sad to see how money (12M$) can make people act crazy ! I really hope that it is still mainly due to mis-information. Again : why not use WanderingDidj project to educate on nuclear wastes ? Especially seeing that this story takes a wider range and that now many other tribes postulate to have that dump on their land !!!!! Gotta educate !
Post subject: Re: Fuck this... nuclear dumping ground on Aboriginal land, NT
Posted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 10:21 pm
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 12:41 am Posts: 123 Location: Somerset, United Kingdom
For sure Ahaw, and this makes me think some people in authority EXACTLY know how to manipulate the situation to the advantage of shite government policies...
_________________ "...for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so..." Hamlet Act 2, scene 2, 239-251
Post subject: Re: Fuck this... nuclear dumping ground on Aboriginal land, NT
Posted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 11:24 pm
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 12:41 am Posts: 123 Location: Somerset, United Kingdom
My former experience of government in the UK is that it's not just the minister or head honcho that's the bad guy - it's the whole team that supports each of these. There is always a team of very smart folk working behind the scenes - whether they are PR, policy formulation or campaign managers. These are dudes with expert knowledge who can advise cleverly and effectively on a huge range of issues. They find loopholes and ways forward to crush any opposition. It's like asking a naked man with a stick to stop a tank. So, Aboriginals need their own team, their own tank. If a shit dude can think smart, so can a good dude! When stuff like this gets to the defence lawyer it's already too late. What to do exactly I don't know, but there will certainly be a way...
_________________ "...for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so..." Hamlet Act 2, scene 2, 239-251
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