Barbara Pocock (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

OCOCK () (): I note this is not my first speech. On Tuesday, we were welcomed to country and parliament in a powerful and beautiful ceremony. So many Australians want to tell the truth about our history and move to treaties and a more powerful voice for First Nations, but our work has to be more than words. We have to make sure that we do no fresh harm.

In this light, as I speak, one of South Australia's First Nations communities, the Barngarla people, are in the Federal Court arguing against the plan to put Australia's low- and intermediate-level nuclear waste on Barngarla land near Kimba. We talk about voice. The Barngarla people's voices have not been heard in this decision. They've been ignored and they were excluded from the local ballot on this matter, but they have been clear to a person that they do not want this dump on their country. They want to protect their country, country they spent 21 years winning native title for. They are now in court opposed by this government, which is pursuing the previous government's terrible decision. They are arguing against a fleet of lawyers to be heard and to be listened to. If we're serious about the Uluru statement, about addressing the hurts of the past, then we cannot layer new hurt on old.

For a people who experienced generations of fallout from British nuclear tests at Maralinga, like members of the Barngarla community have, we must not now add new insult to injury. There is not broad support in South Australia for this dump, and most South Australians have had no say over its siting. We must listen to the Barngarla people. There are different solutions available to this government—better solutions. The new government must find another way, a way that ensures we don't just make speeches about truth-telling while adding new injury today.