1998 Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Precedence: bulk UPDATE Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Bill 1998 11 December 1998 LIMITS PLACED ON NUCLEAR ACTIVITIES? The Australian Conservation Foundation welcomed the improvements made by the Senate to the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Bill 1998 which passed through the Senate on Thursday 10 December. The Act has significant implications for all aspects of the nuclear industry in Australia from the handling of relatively minor uses of radiation such as X-rays through to uranium mines and radioactive waste dumps. Before it was amended by the Senate, the Bill also included provision for a regulatory structure for activities such as weapons-capable enrichment, reprocessing and nuclear power. The Act now means that already existing nuclear installations must be operated under a much stronger regulatory structure and, in some cases, these existing installations will be regulated for the first time. We do not support the facilities, but we do welcome the fact that there can now be at least some public scrutiny of the way that they operate. The major change made to the legislation is that there is now a prohibition clause which rules out nuclear fuel fabrication, a nuclear power plant, an enrichment plant and a reprocessing facility. Other important changes made through lobbying and the debate were: * there is increased (but still limited) public participation in the licensing of new and existing nuclear installations such as the already announced replacement research reactor; * the reporting requirements for the new Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Authority are greatly increased; * there will be at least two months public consultation on the regulations which go with the Bill. There will be a future Update to encourage participation in comment on these regulations, as this will be an opportunity to strengthen the regulation of the industry and increase public participation in the licensing process. The Bill was introduced into the Parliament on 8 April 1998 and was due to be rushed through until Greens WA Senator Dee Margetts said that the issues raised required consultation and debate. The Australian Conservation Foundation worked with the Canberra-based Campaign for a Nuclear Free Australia to develop a number of key amendments and many of these were accepted. This came about through hard and fast work and co-operation between all political parties - the ALP, the Greens and the Democrats, and including the Government parties - to improve the legislation. Independent nuclear consultant Jean McSorley was another invaluable contributor to the campaign to bring about necessary changes to the legislation. One disappointment with the Senate debate was that the Government, along with independent Senators Harradine and Colston, did not support an amendment to hold public inquiries into the need for major new nuclear installations that are allowed for under the Act. Installations in this category include a research reactor, a plant for preparing or storing fuel for use in a research reactor, a nuclear waste storage facility above a certain level, a facility for production of radio-isotopes, and a nuclear waste facility. It was very encouraging to the environment groups involved that the ALP was prepared to provide strong support for amendments to enact public inquiries into the NEED for nuclear installations not already prohibited. Public inquiries serve many purposes. They provide for greater transparency and accountability of major Government decisions. Public inquiries assist in assuring members of the community that they are not entirely powerless in the face of decisions that will affect them for many years to come. Public inquiries are also likely to bring new information to assist Governments in the making of decisions. The new Act's stated object is to "protect the health and safety of people, and to protect the environment, from the harmful effects of radiation" but it will only go part way to meeting its object. It will not cover State Government activities or private activities such as the proposed Pangea high-level nuclear waste dump in South or Western Australia. Further legislation is required to cover the nuclear holes and there is now even more emphasis on the coming Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Bill 1998 to be a vehicle for real protection of the environment. Larry O'Loughlin, National Liaison Office Australian Conservation Foundation [EMAIL PROTECTED] 02 - 6247 2472 (p) 02 - 6247 5779 (f) For information or campaign involvement you may also contact: Campaign for a Nuclear Free Future, GPO Box 1875 Canberra ACT 2601 [EMAIL PROTECTED] 02 - 6247 3064 (f)
