Antinuclear

Legal case: Aboriginal owners do not want nuclear waste dump on their land

Mr Newhouse says his clients do not want compensation but for the nomination of the site to be withdrawn.

NT nuclear waste dump faces legal challenge. ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), By Jane Bardon and Gina Marich   Jun 3, 2010 A legal challenge to the Federal Government’s plan to establish a national nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory has been taken to the Federal Court.

The Commonwealth has signed a deal with some traditional owners for land at Muckaty Station, north of Tennant Creek, to be used for the dump.

George Newhouse is part of the legal team for a different group of traditional owners who say they were not consulted on the site’s nomination.

Mr Newhouse says his clients do not want compensation but for the nomination of the site to be withdrawn.

“This isn’t about compensation at all,” he said.

“This is about the fact that the Northern Land Council has nominated traditional Aboriginal land for a nuclear waste dump without the consent of the traditional owners.”………..

Greens Senator Scott Ludlam says the five families who are challenging the decision have rights to the land but were not consulted about the nomination.

“We think this legal action, it’s regrettable that the traditional owners feel that they’ve had to take it this far, but we certainly welcome it,” he said.

“And we think that this will have political consequences right across Australia leading into the federal election campaign.”

NT nuclear waste dump faces legal challenge – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

June 4, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | aboriginal issues, Northern Territory, uranium | aboriginal, antinuclear, Australia, indigenous, Muckaty, nuclear, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive, uranium