The Sydney Nuclear Free Coalition organised a protest at the Marrickville office of Federal ALP MP Anthony Albanese on the morning of July 15. They called on Albanese to call for a repeal of a bill that allows radioactive waste dumps in the Northern Territory.
The protest marked four years since former PM John Howard announced a radioactive waste dump would be built in the NT, against the wishes of traditional owners.
Labor went to the 2007 federal election promising to repeal the Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act. Yet, nearly two years after coming to power, the legislation is still in place and four sites in the NT are still being considered for a dump.
When in opposition in 2005, Albanese condemned the waste dump plan as "one of the most draconian pieces of legislation that has been brought before [parliament]".
He told parliament: "The Howard government brushes aside critical health, environmental protection, community safety and Aboriginal rights laws with this piece of legislation. Now let me tell you why the Howard government is considered arrogant and out of touch. The Howard government is arrogant because it promised one thing before the election and it delivered something very different after the election had been held."
The Sydney Nuclear Free Coalition delivered a letter to Albanese asking him to keep his own party's election promises and urging him to call for the repeal of the legislation at the upcoming ALP national conference.