Nelson bill to thwart NT dump opposition

Thursday 13th October 2005
ABC NT Local News

Federal Science Minister Brendan Nelson has introduced legislation into Parliament that would make the Northern Territory Government's opposition to a nuclear waste dump irrelevant.

The Federal Government has nominated three sites in the Territory for the waste dump.

Two are in central Australia while the third is about 40 kilometres from Katherine.

The Martin Government has indicated it could take High Court action to stop the dump going ahead.

But Dr Nelson has told Parliament the bill will remove any doubts about the Commonwealth's right to put the nuclear waste facility in the Territory.

The federal Labor Member for Lingiari, Warren Snowdon, has been ejected from Parliament during debate on the legislation.

Mr Snowdon says the legislation is an abuse of power by the Federal Government.