The idea of establishing nuclear waste dumps should be dismissed immediately and yet both major sides of Australian politics rather like the idea.
The Australian Greens have called on the minority Labor Government to use the current political environment to forge a new consensus approach to the management of radioactive nuclear waste in Australia.
With a new parliament requiring negotiation and scrutiny of proposals in both houses, this is a great opportunity for a new way forward in dealing with the vexed issue of nuclear waste.
The Greens today tabled in the Senate an open letter from Muckaty Traditional Owners to all new members of parliament urging them to stop plans to build a waste dump on their land near Tennant Creek.
We know there was never prior or informed consent, nor any proper scientific examination. It’s time for Labor to go back to the drawing board and scrap the proposal to coercively dump this material on an unwilling community.
The Greens will work constructively with all parties in this new parliament and look for better ways to resolve difficult issues like this, rather than simply trample on the interests of local communities.