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Senators urged to visit planned waste dump site

Story Added : 15th March 2010

The Greens say a Senate inquiry into the Federal Government's proposed radioactive waste management legislation will not visit the site of the proposed dump.

The only location the Government is now considering is Muckaty Station, near Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory.

Greens Senator Scott Ludlam says the Senate committee will hold hearings in Canberra and Darwin, but not in Tennant Creek.

"The Senate inquiry is going to be one rare and very important opportunity to take evidence directly from the people who are most affected by the decision that the Government has made," Senator Ludlam said.

"I think holding it from Darwin and from Canberra is a good way of staying a long way away from where the people are genuinely the most angry and have the most to lose."

He says it is a slap in the face for the people of Tennant Creek.

"There was very strong willingness by the community to host the Senate committee so that they could give them their views directly," he said.

"Unfortunately the committee has gone and set down its hearing dates and times without waiting for all the submissions to come in.

"It's a huge opportunity missed and I think it's an example of how slapdash the Government intends to be on this bill."

The committee's chairwoman, Senator Trish Crossin, says a hearing in Tennant Creek is not out of the question if locals make a lot of submissions.

She says hearings are being held where the most submissions are expected to come from.

Story Added by ABC.
Date Added : 15th March 2010

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