120815 – “Waste dump tender is ‘putting the radioactive cart before the horse’.” BNI

Contents:
* Beyond Nuclear Initiative (BNI): Waste dump tender is
‘putting the radioactive cart before the horse’.
* Greens Scott Ludlam:
This land is not nowhere; these people are not no-one
* NT Greens:
Greens call for a unity in face of nuclear waste tender
* ABC Video:
Push to make nuclear waste dump an election issue
* Upcoming Beyond Nuclear Initiative (BNI) Events
* Background to the proposed Muckaty nuclear waste dump

* BEYOND NUCLEAR INITIATIVE (BNI):
WASTE DUMP TENDER IS
‘PUTTING THE RADIOACTIVE CART BEFORE THE HORSE’.

– Media Release

Beyond Nuclear Initiative:
Waste dump tender is
‘putting the radioactive cart before the horse’.
http://beyondnuclearinitiative.com/2012/08/09/waste-dump-tender-is-putting-the-radioactive-cart-before-the-horse/
7 Aug 12: “Calling for tender to design a remote
radioactive waste facility while the only proposed site is
under federal court challenge is putting the radioactive
cart before the horse, the Beyond Nuclear Initiative (BNI)
has said today.
BNI coordinator Natalie Wasley said “The only site federal
Resources Minister Martin Ferguson has indicated he
intends to pursue for a national radioactive waste dump-
Muckaty, 120km north of Tennant Creek in the NT- is
subject to a federal court challenge and ongoing community
challenge. The NT government is strongly opposed and trade
unions, environment and health groups across the country
have committed to stand up and stop the Muckaty proposal”.
“The Minister is making radioactive policy on the run,
based on a political assumption that a remote site is
needed and a miscalculation that people living nearby or
culturally connected to those areas do not have the
determination or capacity to defeat this proposal,”
Ms Wasley added. … ”

– Related News

Tennant & District Times:
Tenders called for nuke waste dump at Muckaty
http://tennantcreek.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/tenders-called-for-nuke-waste-dump-at-muckaty/2647326.aspx
10 Aug 12: “THE Federal Government has called for tenders
to design a radioactive waste dump. And while Muckaty is
not mentioned in documents, the site is the only one under
consideration. … Beyond Nuclear Initiative coordinator,
Nat Wasley, said, in calling design tenders, the Government
is putting the radioactive cart before the horse. “Muckaty
is subject to a Federal Court challenge and an ongoing
community challenge,” she said. “The NT Government is
strongly opposed and trade unions, environment and health
groups across the country have committed to stand up and
stop the proposal.””

* GREENS SCOTT LUDLAM:
THIS LAND IS NOT NOWHERE; THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT NO-ONE

– Analysis / Opinion

Right Now:
This land is not nowhere; these people are not no-one
http://rightnow.org.au/writing-cat/article/this-land-is-not-nowhere-these-people-are-not-no-one/
13 Aug 12: “The government is attempting to force a nuclear
waste facility on to Muckaty Station, a cattle station 120
kilometres from Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory, in
direct violation of the commitments the ALP made in the
run-up to the 2007 election. The proposal is strongly
contested and the subject of a Federal Court challenge in
which Traditional Owners argue they were not consulted by
the Northern Land Council. They also argue that the
proposed site is not one the Commonwealth can negotiate
with one group of Owners given that at least five groups
have interconnected and interwoven responsibility there.
Matters do not reach the Federal Court on a whim; … ”
By Scott Ludlam,
a peace and environmental activist for more than a decade,
Australian Greens Senator for Western Australia

* NT GREENS:
GREENS CALL FOR A UNITY IN FACE OF NUCLEAR WASTE TENDER

– Media Release

NT Greens:
Greens call for a unity in face of nuclear waste tender
http://nt.greens.org.au/content/greens-call-unity-face-nuclear-waste-tender
10 Aug 12: “In the wake of a Federal Government tender[1]to report on the design and operation of a nuclear waste dump, the NT Greens have called for all Territory politicians to reaffirm their opposition to plans to impose a nuclear waste dump in the NT.
Matt Haubrick, the Greens candidate for Fong Lim, says the
announcement is “unexpected – but entirely consistent with
the approach of successive Federal governments.”
“While high court proceedings by Traditional Owners of the
Muckaty Land Trust challenging the nomination process
remain unresolved, this pre-emptive tender is entirely
inappropriate.”
“The Federal Minister has well and truly put the cart
before the horse. Clearly he is yet to realise that it’s
a dead horse.”
“The initial plan had been to have the dump built and
operating by now – but instead, the fight is stronger
than ever.” … ”

* ABC VIDEO:
PUSH TO MAKE NUCLEAR WASTE DUMP AN ELECTION ISSUE

– Video

ABC: Push to make nuclear waste dump an election issue
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-11/push-to-make-nuclear-waste-dump-an-election-issue/4192530?section=nt
11 Aug 12: “A protest group is pushing to make the proposal
for a nuclear waste facility at Muckaty Station in the
Northern Territory an election issue.”

* UPCOMING BEYOND NUCLEAR INITIATIVE (BNI) EVENTS:

– Events

Fri 10 – Sun 26 August 2012: Darwin, NT
Official Opening Fri 10 Aug
Manuwangku, Under the Nuclear Cloud
Photographer Jagath Dheerasekara, human rights defender
This traveling exhibition is a collaborative project with
* the Manuwangku (Muckaty) Traditional Owners,
* the Beyond Nuclear Initiative (BNI) and
* Amnesty International.
Presented by the Environment Centre NT
in association with Darwin Festival
“It is a testimony to the resilience of the community
and captures the determination of people bound
together through a common struggle to keep their
traditional land free from nuclear waste.
Muckaty, called by its Traditional Owners as Manuwangku,
situated 120 km North from Tennant Creek is a
country in the Northern Territory targeted for the
building of a federal radioactive waste storage facility.”
Event details: http://www.darwinfestival.org.au/2012-program/manuwangku-under-the-nuclear-cloud/
Event details: http://www.amnesty.org.au/sa/event/29216/
Event details: http://www.greenleft.org.au/events/51721

Event: Thu 16 August 2012: Surry Hills, Sydney, NSW
Public meeting: Nuclear South Wales?
Resisting O’Farrell’s uranium push
Speakers:
* Luke Foley MLC, NSW Shadow Minister for the Environment
* Jamie Parker MP, NSW Greens uranium spokesperson
* Arthur Rorris, South Coast Labour Council secretary
* Peter Watts, Arabunna Man from South Australia
Chaired by: Rita Mallia, NSW President,
CFMEU Construction and General Division
Welcome to Country: Auntie Millie Ingram
Event details: http://beyondnuclearinitiative.com/events/2012-2/

Event: Sat 25 August 2012: Ultimo, UTS, Sydney, NSW
Workshop and Discussion Day
Discussion topics and speakers include:
* Historical snapshot:
The Movement Against Uranium Mining (MAUM) in the 70s/80s
and lessons for organising today.
Dr Geoff Evans, Newcastle University, MAUM organiser
* Industry snapshot: NSW, Australia and worldwide.
Climate Change and the “nuclear renaissance”.
Dr Jim Green, Friends of the Earth Australia.
* Health effects of the nuclear industry on workers and community.
Dr Helen Caldicott, Physician and author.
* Building a nuclear free NSW campaign.
Paul McAleer, Maritime Union of Australia.
Event details: http://beyondnuclearinitiative.com/events/2012-2/

* BACKGROUND TO THE PROPOSED MUCKATY NUCLEAR WASTE DUMP:

Last updated: 20 July 2012

http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-proposed-muckaty-nuclear-waste-dump-in-nt-australia