Nuke waste dump plan opposed

DARWIN — There has been widespread opposition to federal science minister Brendan Nelson's July 15 announcement of plans for a nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory.

The plans involve storing nuclear waste from Sydney's Lucas Heights reactor on defence land in one of three locations in the NT. The government's previous plan to build the dump in South Australia was defeated by a strong public campaign.

The NT Environment Centre's Gary Scott told media that the dump is not a foregone conclusion. Nelson's announcement has also met with opposition from both the NT ALP and the Country Liberal Party. The announcement rescinds the promise made by the federal government prior to last year's federal election that there would be no nuclear dump on mainland Australia.

Kathy Newnam

From Green Left Weekly, July 20, 2005.

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From GLW issue 634