On Tuesday the House of Representatives passed a bill 68 to 6 for a nuclear waste facility to be built on Muckaty Station, north of Tennant Creek.

It's something that has divided opinions both within politics and the general community.

Director of the Centre for Climate Impact Management at the University of Newcastle, Garry Willgoose is one of of Australia's leading authorities on nuclear waste disposal.

He says unless the dump goes ahead, nuclear waste will continue to sit in drums in locked up sheds around the country.

"There's no question we need somewhere we can store the stuff more safely.

"It would be better to have it all in one place that is secure and safe.

"Most of the waste we have has come from hospitals around Sydney and places like that, low level nuclear waste, just stuff that has been exposed to radioactivity."

In this report: Professor Garry Willgoose, Director of the Centre for Climate Impact Management at the University of Newcastle.