RADIATION (SAFETY CONTROL) AMENDMENT BILL 1999 Second Reading Speech

Northern Territory Second Reading Speeches

RADIATION (SAFETY CONTROL) AMENDMENT BILL 1999

(This an uncorrected proof of the daily report. It is made available under the condition that it is recognised as such.)

Bill presented and read a first time.

Mr DUNHAM (Health, Family and Children’s Services): Mr Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.

This amendment bill arose in the wake of the radiation incident at Berrimah in February last year in which a radioactive source was not properly secured within the transport vehicle. Due to the strict enforcement of international transport requirements for radioactive materials, the container housing the radioactive source remained intact despite being hit by passing vehicles. There was no spread of radioactive material and fortunately public safety was not compromised.

The purpose of this bill is to introduce 4 changes to the Radiation (Safety Control) Act. Firstly, this bill will substantially increase the penalties for breaches of the act. Secondly, the bill ensures that the strict safeguards applied internationally continue to be applied to the transport of radioactive material in the Northern Territory. The bill provides a mechanism which allows the minister, by notice in the Gazette, to adopt the latest code of safe transport as applied in all jurisdictions in Australia. By introducing this mechanism, the code of safe transport may be updated from time to time, taking advantage of development as they occur.

The third issue addressed by the bill is related to the onus of proof in prosecuting offences under the act. Proving a substance is radioactive when it in effectively shielded for the protection of human health is not an easy thing to do. The bill includes a deeming provision whereby a radioactive substance can be deemed to be radioactive unless the defendant can prove otherwise. Similar deeming provisions exist in South Australia’s Radiation Protection Act.

The fourth matter provided for by the bill is the ability of the Territory to recover the costs of accident remediation in the similar manner to the Dangerous Goods Act. While there was no spill of radioactive material at Berrimah last February, the potential cost to clean radioactive contamination is enormous. The bill therefore includes provisions for recovering the clean up costs of a radiation accident.

I commend the Radiation (Safety Control) Amendment Bill to honourable members as providing improvements to the radiation control in the Northern Territory and placing companies on notice that radioactive materials are dangerous and must be transported and used with extreme care.

Debate adjourned.

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