Australian govt to open up nuclear weapons test site to Aboriginal people, AND to uranium mining!
Traditional Maralinga Tjaruta people gain unrestricted access to rehabilitated land where nuclear testing occurred news.com.au 3 June 14 The federal government will on Wednesday announce 1782 square km in area will be formally excised from the Woomera Prohibited Area at the request of the Maralinga Tjaruta people……..
Maralinga Tjarutja general manager Richard Preece said the decision would enable the traditional owners to enter section 400 without seeking approval from the Defence Department.
“We didn’t think it’s sensible to have within the range something that would probably be the last place in Australia you’d want to drop bombs on,’’ Mr Preece said…….
Nuclear testing was conducted by the British government in Australia between 1952 and 1963.
Maralinga was officially closed in 1967.
The federal government hopes a bill opening the Woomera Prohibited Area for exploration and mining will be passed by Parliament during its winter sittings. Up to $35 billion worth of iron ore, gold and uranium is believed to lie beneath the ground in the prohibited area.
If the bill becomes law, it will create a new access regime for non-Defence users.
The State Government and federal Labor MPs have been pushing for the bill to be passed as soon as possible, arguing it will create new economic opportunities for South Australia, which could help offset the impact of the Holden closure. http://www.news.com.au/national/south-australia/traditional-maralinga-tjaruta-people-gain-unrestricted-access-to-rehabilitated-land-where-nuclear-testing-occurred/story-fnii5yv4-1226942188796
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of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 
Despite several attempts to clean it up the nuclear weapons test sites in SA are still heavily contaminated. They are not fit for human habitation and I doubt the wisdom of even allowing tourists there. The non-contaminated areas of Woomera are probably OK, and is these areas that are likely to be the target of uranium exploration and mining companies.
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Presumably the government will aim, in true traditional fashion, to give the Aborigines the radioactively polluted areas, and the “cleaner” areas to the miners.
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I’m at a loss to know why the Maralinga Tjaruta agreed to this. They have had first hand experience with fallout from the nuclear weapons tests and are well-informed about the failed attempts to clean up the test sites. Perhaps section 400 is uncontaminated?
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