Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise in solidarity with the Barngarla traditional owners, who are in the Federal Court today to overturn the decision to construct a nuclear waste dump on their lands at Napandee, near Kimba on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula. The Barngarla have spent years fighting the ministerial declaration from the former coalition government to place the nuclear waste dump on their land. Despite saying that the decision for a radioactive waste dump location will not go against the wishes of the local community, that's exactly what the government is doing—first, the former coalition governments, and now the Labor government.

The Barngarla weren't even consulted on the nuclear waste dump on their land. The government only conducted a survey of residents in the Kimba council area, but not all traditional owners live there. Those who have taken care of the lands for thousands of years were not even consulted. Labor say that they're our mates, and they're ignoring traditional owners about what they want and don't want on their country. Shame, shame! The Barngarla were even refused access to their land to undertake a proper heritage survey at Napandee, and the former coalition government tried to remove their right to a judicial review.

If this government is serious about First Nations rights, which they say that they are—they say they want a voice—what about the TOs who have tried to tell you that they don't want this dump there? What about their voice? What about their voice, Labor? You're not serious. You need to adhere to the rights of the Barngarla people. (Time expired)