The Northern Territory politician who accompanied Kevin Rudd to a New York strip club four years ago has claimed a ministry.

The Member for Lingiari, Warren Snowdon, is taking on a junior defence portfolio called Defence Science and Personnel.

Mr Snowdon says he's surprised and honoured to be named on the frontbench. He is the third Northern Territory politician ever to get a federal ministry.

Territory senator Nigel Scullion held the community services portfolio until the Coalition was ousted on the weekend. He says he is delighted Mr Snowdon is joining the Labor Government's frontbench.

"I think it's tremendous that Warren's been given this great privilege. Warren was Parliamentary Secreatry [and] he's been there almost 20 years, but from my experience the learning curve will be almost vertical," he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Snowdon hasn't ruled out a nuclear waste dump being built in the Territory in the next few years.

Australia has to find somewhere in the country to dispose of nuclear waste by 2011. Previous studies recommended a site in South Australia, but the South Australian Government stopped that going ahead, forcing the Howard Government to search for a site in the Territory.

Mr Snowdon says he can't guarantee there'll never be a nuclear waste facility in the Territory.

"There'll be a national process based on the best science and it won't be imposed upon any community any where in Australia that's very clear, that's the undertaking that was given."

Mr Snowdon was a member of the Hawke-Keating governments between 1987 and 1996.

He was amongst the casualties of the 1996 election that saw Labor thrown out of office, but reclaimed his seat in 1998.