2016-03-01
Representatives from each of the six communities shortlisted as potential sites for a nuclear waste dump were hosted by the Greens in Parliament House today.
“It is clear from the government’s approach that they’re looking for the weakest link amongst these six communities, and yet today has shown that people are united and standing strong together against the waste dump at any of the six sites,” Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Nuclear Issues spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said today.
“It was amazing to see Aboriginal Traditional Owners from South Australia and the Northern Territory, farmers from South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland all standing together against the government’s attempts to force this dump on a community that doesn’t want it.
“These people are not at all doing what the government hoped. They’re not scrambling to make sure they’re not last or least. They’re working hard to make sure that nobody is forced to live next door to nuclear waste.
“I strongly encourage every one of my parliamentary colleagues to speak to the people from communities in their electorates, and the Minister should speak to these representatives immediately.
“This process has failed, by the government’s own criteria. Communities were told that if there was strong opposition, the dump would not be built. There’s strong opposition in all six communities; the government needs to abandon this idea.