His Excellency the Governor
Commissioner Scarce
Royal Commission
(fOur role in nuclear energy"
By email: [email protected]
3 August 2015
Dear Sir,
Royal Commission- Our role in nuclear energy- consolidated response to Issues Papers
On Tuesday 21 July 2015, representatives from the following Native Title Aboriginal Corporation and
native title claim groups met to consider the Royal Commission into Nuclear Energy and the four
issues papers now released for comment:
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Antakirinja Matu- Yankunytjatjara Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC (AMYAC);
The Dieri Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC;
lrrwanyere Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC;
Narungga Nations Aboriginal Corporation;
Nauo Native Title Claimants;
Ngadjuri Nation Aboriginal Corporation;
Yankunytjatjara Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (YNTAC);
Yandruwandha Yawarrawarrka Traditional Land Owners Aboriginal Corporation.
With the support of those present, and as significant land holders in South Australia, I write to
provide a brief response to those Issues Papers.
Above all else, we have fundamental concerns for activities that threaten the natural environment,
its resources, and animal, plant and human life residing in proximity to such activity. This includes
activities which relate to the nuclear fuel cycle. As a result, we consider that our communities are
wholeheartedly opposed to all forms of exploration, processing and manufacturing, electricity
generation and waste disposal in the nuclear fuel cycle . Furthermore, we as the traditional
custodians of this land oppose any activity which would seek to undermine the innate cultural
connection we have with country. Our past, present and future is connected to country and our
ancestral stories connect us to it and all things that reside on country. To interfere with these
storylines is to disconnect our people from Mother Earth, and from each other. We may be
representatives of a number of PBCs and we may come from different country, but we are one and
the same through our land and stories.
Secondly, we ask that his Excellency again consider a subject addressed in our Response to the draft
Terms of Reference dated 13 March 2015 (Response to ToR), being that Aboriginal people are
significant land holders in South Australia. As such, it is our cultural duty to care for country and our
right, both traditionally and legislatively (through the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth), the Aboriginal
Heritage Act 1988 (SA) and other land use agreements), to practice Aboriginal law and custom.
Expanding the current level of exploration, the processing and manufacturing of radioactive and
nuclear substances, the generation of electricity using such materials, and the subsequent disposal
of associated waste materials in South Australia directly impacts on our responsibilities and rights. In
particular, an expansion of activities and the development of a waste disposal facility would
physically occupy and do violence to Mother Earth, the very thing that gives us life, law, customs and
culture. The cultural implications are of even greater significance to us and we regard our culture as
sacred that cannot be sold .
Our third submission regards what is of greatest concern to us and that is the potential
establishment of a nuclear waste disposal unit. Granted that this process has not yet identified a
potential site for such a facility, we anticipate that a remote location is more favourable than builtup, metropolitan zones, which is thus like ly to impact Aboriginal land . In addition to the cultural
implications outlined above, we are deeply concerned that the the transport of waste through
Aboriginal land and waters and its subsequent disposal on country poses significant risk and may
have devastating effects on human, plant and animal life. With reference to our Response to ToR,
we once again draw the Commission's attention to the past and current practices in managing
nuclear waste in this state -the waste being stored at Woomera, the management of ta ilings at
Olympic Dam, the 'clean up' of Maralinga- and ask that the Commission review such practices in its
consideration of further waste management in South Australia.
Finally, we once again plead with the Commission that they run this enquiry in a way that is
transparent and inclusive of the significant views and expert knowledge of the traditional
landholders. The Commission has appointed an expert panel but our concern is that without
Aboriginal eyes to articulate our evidence, significant knowledge and intrinsic understanding of
country will be unknowingly disregarded. We encourage the Commission to welcome Aboriginal
expertise in the dissection of evidence as this would not only legitimise the process for all Aboriginal
nations concerned but it would ensure a fulsome enquiry process inclusive of both Aboriginal and
non-Aboriginal considerations.
Yours Sincerely,
A auto Sansbury
Chairperson, Narungga Nations Aborigina I Corporation
Karina Lester
Chairperson, YNTAC
On behalf of the Cha irpersons and or representatives of:
Antakirinja Matu- Yankunytjatjara Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC (AMYAC);
The Dieri Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC;
lrrwanyere Abor igi nal Corporation RNTBC;
Narungga Nations Abo riginal Corporation;
Nauo Native Title Claimants;
Ngadjuri Nation Aboriginal Corporation;
Yankunytjatjara Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (YNTAC) ;
Yandru wandha Yawarrawarrka Traditional Land Owners Aboriginal Corporation.