Gillard Government to Dump Nuclear Waste in the Northern Territory

Traditional owners and environmental groups have vowed to continue fighting the federal government's plan to store radioactive waste at Muckaty Station in the Northern Territory.
The Senate passed legislation yesterday that paves the way for medical, research and industrial waste to be stored at the site near Tennant Creek for hundreds of years.
Resources Minister Martin Ferguson says the bill ensures Australia meets its international obligations to properly manage its nuclear waste in a purpose-built dump.
"This waste is currently held at over 100 temporary sites at Australian universities, hospitals, offices and laboratories," Mr Ferguson said in a statement.
One of the main sites is Lucas Heights in Sydney.
The Australian Greens say that is where it should stay until an independent commission can determine where to store it in the long term.
The Greens secured support yesterday for a change to the legislation that bans the storage of international waste at Muckaty. The coalition also successfully moved an amendment that requires states and territories to pay a fee if they wish to store waste at the dump.
AAP Canberra Times 14 March 2012 p9

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690th access Last modified: Thu 15 Mar 2012