BLCA Establishing a Nuclear Waste Facility at Muckaty Station NT  

As a part of a plan for management of nuclear waste in Australia, the Federal Government has identified Muckaty Station in the Barkly Region of the Northern Territory as a target location for a nuclear waste facility.  Although this facility is being promoted as a low level waste disposal site, Barkly Landcare and Conservation Association (BLCA) believes it is likely that the site will be upgraded to store highly radioactive waste to be returned under international agreements to Australia from countries purchasing our uranium resources, starting with Scotland and France in 2014.

BLCA is fundamentally opposed to the establishment of a nuclear waste facility within the Barkly Region unless and until the Australian Government can satisfactorily demonstrate that such a facility is safe for our environment, industries and community.

Our Barkly landscape is in good health.  It is arguably one of the healthiest landscapes under productive use in Australia.  Our region supports unique habitats including wetlands of international significance as well as a cattle industry that plays a key role in Australia’s export beef production.  The Barkly has been identified as a unique landscape of importance under the Caring For Our Country Business Plan, the Australian Government’s own environmental sustainability plan.

Not only will the establishment of a nuclear waste facility at Muckaty threaten our healthy environments, it puts at risk our most valuable local industries and threatens to fracture and stigmatise our community both indigenous and non-indigenous.  BLCA objects to the Australian Government’s “out of site out of mind” approach to nuclear waste disposal and its attempts to take advantage of our community in order to meet its political objectives.

BLCA recognises the need for Australia to establish a nuclear waste facility.  We believe this must be approached from a foundation of strong science coupled with genuine, open and honest community consultation.  We believe the current proposal fails the Australian people on both accounts.

To read the full position paper click here

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