The Australian Greens are attempting to block plans to build a nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory.

Greens senator Scott Ludlam has tabled legislation which would give the territory greater powers to veto plans to build a dump at one of four outback sites.

Australia does not have a remote dump for federal nuclear waste, which comes from sources like medical and defence products.

The Howard government started a process to build a dump in the Northern Territory.

Senator Ludlam, from Western Australia, said the process was all wrong and it was time to put the brakes on.

"Where is the hurry?" he told reporters in Canberra.

"I don't buy the argument at all that we need a remote dump."

Much of the waste is kept at Sydney's Lucas Heights nuclear reactor, while some of it is being processed overseas.

Senator Ludlam said Lucas Heights might be the best place to store the waste long-term because it was safe, dry, and close to the country's nuclear experts who work at the reactor.

Another option was to start talking with France, which is processing some of Australia's waste, about them storing it long-term, Senator Ludlam said.

"All we've had since the 1970s is the debate about which remote Aboriginal community should get the dump and that's just not appropriate these days," he said.

His legislation would repeal the Howard government's Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act 2005, which enables the nuclear dump to go ahead in the territory.

Federal Labor made an election promise to repeal the laws but has yet to do so.

Senator Ludlam said he suspected the Rudd government planned to press ahead with a dump in the territory.