On 6 February 2018, the Senate referred an inquiry into the selection process for a national radioactive waste management facility in South Australia to the Senate
Economics References Committee for inquiry and report by 14 August 2018.

The terms of reference for the inquiry were:

The appropriateness and thoroughness of the site selection process for a national radioactive waste management facility at Kimba and Hawker in South Australia, noting the Government has stated that it will not impose such a facility on an unwilling community, with particular reference to:
a) the financial compensation offered to applicants for the acquisition of land under the Nominations of Land Guidelines;
b) how the need for 'broad community support' has played and will continue to play a part in the process, including:

• i) the definition of 'broad community support', and
• ii) how 'broad community support' has been or will be determined for each process advancement stage;

c) how any need for Indigenous support has played and will continue to play a part in the process, including how Indigenous support has been or will be determined for each process advancement stage;
d) whether and/or how the Government's 'community benefit program' payments affect broad community and Indigenous community sentiment;
e) whether wider (Eyre Peninsular or state-wide) community views should be taken into consideration and, if so, how this is occurring or should be occurring; and
f) any other related matters.