Tuesday 15 November 2005
ABC NT Local News

Northern Territory Country Liberal Party Senator Nigel Scullion has defended a decision to hold a nuclear waste dump Senate inquiry in Canberra.

The decision means the inquiry will visit none of the three Territory sites where the Federal Government plans to build the dump.

Territory Labor Senator Trish Crossin says the process has become a joke.

But Senator Scullion says it is up to the committee where it holds the inquiry and he sees no problem with having it in Canberra.

"Obviously there wasn't much time simply because the same committee as I understand it is examining the IR [industrial relations] legislation, but I understand that they've decided that they will be held in Canberra but what I also understand is that they will be flying people [in], for example the Central Land Council and other interested parties, to give evidence before the hearing," he said.

Senator Scullion says the committee is free to choose where it holds hearings.

Mr Scullion says the same committee has to consider the industrial relations legislation and Canberra is as good a place as any.

"[It is] very important that people recognise that this is not only about actually hearing something in a place. If people think that they really need to be there I understand that there's a process to apply to go down and give evidence but the best way to give evidence is simply make a written submission," he said.