Campbell defends PM's mine endorsement

The federal Environment Minister says Prime Minister John Howard has not pre-empted a Commonwealth assessment of a proposed expansion to open-cut mining at the McArthur River mine, near Borroloola in the Northern Territory.

The ABC this week revealed Mr Howard had written to the Northern Territory Chief Minister extolling the economic virtues of the proposed expansion.

That is despite the Commonwealth environmental assessment of the project not yet being complete.

Senator Ian Campbell says there has been no abuse of due process.

"He is fully aware of my processes, he is saying he supports the project. I think the Northern Territory Government supports the project," he said.

"I think it's fair to say that both [Chief Minister] Clare Martin and John Howard would share the view that it's very worthwhile to see the project go ahead from a jobs perspective, from an economic growth perspective."