Rollback the Intervention

Excerpt from speech by Senator Rachel Siewert, Greens spokesperson for Indigenous Affairs

The Australian Greens today remain united and steadfast in our opposition to the approach taken by the NT intervention.

We were the only Party to stand up as one in the Australian Parliament to condemn the intervention when it was announced … and we have maintained and continue to maintain our opposition …

• to the suspension of the Racial Discrimination Act,
• to compulsory seizures of lands,
• to indiscriminate quarantining of welfare
• and to the trampling of the human rights of Aboriginal people in the NT

We call today on the Rudd Government and on the Minister for Indigenous Affairs Jenny Macklin to admit they'd made a mistake in backing the rushed approach taken by the Northern Territory Intervention.

.

Cameco - should we let them near our water catchment????

Cameco Q & A ASTC Aldermen and the Mayor:
www.netgrrl.com.au/June16

------------------------------------------------------
At la Alice Springs Town Council Committee Meeting on June 16 2008, I put the following question to the Regional Manager of Cameco, the company applying to the NT Government for a uranium exploration license just 20km from Alice Springs and over our water catchment area:

Given two very recent examples of unresolved environmental damage caused by Cameco’s mining operations;

Firstly - Cameco’s underground uranium mine at Cigar Lake in Sasketchewan Canada completely flooded with water in October 23 2006 and you continue to have the entire mine shut down and not operating despite it containing 17% of the world's known uranium reserves, almost two years later;

and Secondly – Cameco suspended operations at the Port Hope Nuclear Plant in July 2007 noting soil contamination and now some 12 months later it has been revealed this has leaked into one of North America's largest bodies of fresh water, the Great Lake, Lake Ontario;

how can you guarantee the mine will not be flooded and how can you guarantee the underground water on which Alice Springs' very existence depends will not be contaminated even by the substantial drilling involved in exploration to the satisfaction of the many people now aware of Cameco's past record?

My Question to Jennifer Parks and Response



Questions from all Aldermen -note YouTube is low quality.
Click here for streamed high quality clip

Their response including Q's from other Aldermen and the Mayor:

www.netgrrl.com.au/June16

.

Cameco to speak to Alice Springs Town Council

Please note the following agenda item. Alice Springs Town Council Technical Services Committee meeting Monday 16 June 5.15pm

Item 6: Deputations

6.1 Deputation by Jennifer Parks, Regional Director Cameco
To provide a
background briefing on the Angela deposit and respond to any queries from
Aldermen about uranium exploration

Please note that questions can be raised from the gallery in Item 2 of the agenda