NT Labor draws line in sand on nuclear waste dump

Allyson Horn
ABC NT Local News

The Northern Territory branch of the Australian Labor Party has passed a resolution against the construction of a radioactive waste facility at Muckaty Station near Tennant Creek.

The Federal Labor Government is planning to build Australia's first nuclear waste dump and has earmarked Muckaty as its preferred site.

ALP NT president Matthew Gardiner says members don't support the waste being stored in the Territory.

"(We) also call on the Federal Government to establish an independent and open inquiry that looks into the long-term storage of nuclear waste in Australia," he said.

"It must be based on scientific best practice and international best principals."

Mr Gardiner, who is also the head of the United Voice union, was elected as the new ALP NT branch president at the party's annual conference over the weekend.

He says Labor needs to rebuild after its loss in this year's Territory election.

He says the ALP still has a lot of support in the Territory.

"We must get back to our grassroots, the members on the ground," he said.

"We probably have more members now than we ever had before because people are actually responding and reacting to some of the decisions made by the current Government.

"We've got people joining up all the time."


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