Dump fight far from over, says commentator
Friday, 14 October 2005
ABC NT Local News

A leading political commentator says the Northern Territory Government can still mount a legal challenge against Federal Government legislation forcing the Northern Territory to accept a nuclear waste dump.

The Federal Government yesterday introduced legislation it said would remove any doubts about the Commonwealth's right to build the dump in the Northern Territory.

NT Chief Minister Clare Martin has expressed outrage over the move, saying it shows a lack of respect for Territory rights.

But Dean Jaensch, from South Australia's Flinders University, says all states and territories have the right to test any Act of Parliament in the High Court.

"The only way this legislation can finally be overriding the states in a legal sense is if the High Court says 'yes you do have the power' so to interpret this legislation as already having brought in the ability to override the states is pre-empting any decision of the High Court," he said.