Traditional Owners protest Dutton's nuclear plan for Collie

Giovanni Torre
Giovanni Torre Published October 18, 2024 at 5.35pm (AWST)

Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton was met by a group of protesters as he visited WA town Collie to speak with local council authorities about his nuclear plans.

The south west town of Collie, once a coal and timber town, is one of seven locations across the Australia named by Dutton as sites for future nuclear power stations.

On his first visit to the town since announcing his nuclear plans, Mr Dutton spent 90 minutes meeting with the Shire president and chief executive on Friday, The West Australian reports.

Outside the meeting, anti-nuclear advocates lead by local Traditional Owners voiced their opposition to Mr Dutton's plan, particularly the prospect of dealing with nuclear waste on Country.

Indigenous woman Stevie Anderson spoke on a Nuclear Free WA video shared on social media after being denied entry to a pro-nuclear event in the town.

"I've come here tonight to learn about nuclear, a proposal that's coming to Collie from Peter Dutton and I wasn't allowed in," she said.

"I actually want to learn about nuclear. I'm young, I don't know this stuff and I want to be able to help my Elders understand this stuff.

"And really, I don't think I want this crap in Collie, especially when they're not going to let me learn about it."

In June, shortly after the Opposition Leader announced his nuclear plan, Traditional Owners in Queensland came out strongly against the proposal.

The West Australian reports that the Collie event - "a special information evening" featured speeches from Nuclear for Australia chair Adi Paterson, ANU professor Tony Irwin, and nuclear engineer Jasmin Diab.

Ms Anderson and Phillip Ugle were among the protestors the following day at the Shire office.

Mr Ugle told The West he is "totally" against the nuclear proposal.

"They don't come and talk to us. We don't want nuclear, we've got a registered sacred site ... we don't want them destroyed," he said.

"We're worried about the future for our grandchildren and our great grandchildren."

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National Indigenous Times

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