Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee [Part 2], , 2:13:54 to 2:21:26
Officials provide a breakdown of staff expertise in radiation safety and inter-agency emergency response agreements.
Topics: Public service staffing, Public safety
Speakers: Michael Drake, Senator Fatima Payman, Speaker 1, Unknown Speaker, Senator David Shoebridge
>> ANSTO.
>> ANSTO. >> ANSTO.
>> I know. I'm not going to go to sleep now. Just ANSTO. >> ANSTO. [laughter] ANSTO.
>> ANSTO. It's a long
>> All right, Senator Payne.
>> Thank you. So in relation to ANSTO's staff, can you please identify the total number of staff broken down by where they are
>> I may not have where they're based, Senator. I'll need I'll have to say that on notice, but as of the 1st of September this year um our total workforce consisted of 97 personnel which was 81 APS staff 14 members of the Australian Defense Force and two employees of the Department of Defense who are on secondment to us as persons assisting the regulator under our act.
>> Thank you. And would you have the number of staff with radiation safety expertise and their qualifications?
>> I'd don't take that on notice, I'm not
>> Thank you. Um, does ANSTO have any formal agreements with the WA government, um, ARPANSA or Australian radioactive waste agency on safety and emergency response?
We we have a formal, um, agreement with, uh, ARPANSA who provide technical support to us. Uh, it doesn't it is not specifically on that emergency preparedness and response uh, in regards to Western Australia >> and AWA, no, we do not.
>> Okay. Um, does ANSTO have regular meetings with, um, I guess I'd say ARPANSA cuz you said you don't have any formal agreements with the WA government.
Senator, we do meet regularly with, uh, the Western Australian government officials. We do meet regularly with AWA and ARPANSA.
how are those meetings arranged?
>> Um, we we do have some local staff in Western Australia. I'll get the the exact numbers for you. Um, regular engagements either, um, we participate in community information systems in sessions in Western Australia regularly. Often the Western Australian government is at those sessions and we will engage with them then or as events occur such as the, um, the current, uh, maintenance period of the submarine in Western Australia. Some of our staff will be engaging with Western Australian government officials uh, during that.
>> Okay, wonderful. Um, has the regulator issued any guidance notices or received or issued any license approvals?
>> Uh, yes, we have, Senator.
>> Um, what were those guidance notes or licenses and what was the outcome?
>> Uh, so, Senator, we, as I mentioned in my opening statement, we have, uh, two licenses on foot at the moment, one in Western Australia, uh, which, um, was originally issued by the civilian regulator before our establishment and one in South Australia. We have a range of guidance material we've put out, um, to our regulated communities to inform them of how license applications should be made, uh, what material they need to include to support that. Um, we have a number of fact sheets we've given to the local communities. I know there was an issue in Western Australia around designated zones, so we sought to actually give the information to the public about what they meant. Um so we do have a range of material both available on our website uh and also distributed at those community events.
>> Right. Um has ANSTO provided any information to DFAT on non-proliferation arrangements and safeguards under international treaties?
>> No, Senator. That's out That's out of the scope of our responsibilities.
>> Um so given that it's not within your scope of responsibilities, uh do you know which government agency may be responsible for this?
>> it's as you know, the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office, which actually sits within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
>> Wonderful. Thank you so much for your time, Mr. Drake.
>> Thanks, Senator.
>> Thank you, Chair.
>> All right. Well, I think on that note, I'm now safe to say, thank you very much. >> And have a lovely night.
>> You, too.
>> You've made our day today. Good to see you all. Thank you very much, Mr. Drake. >> Okey-dokey. >> We're going to keep moving on with the program, folks. Uh I'd like to welcome, if we have here, otherwise we might suspend, is the Signals Directorate? >> Yeah, let's do that, Minister. Good idea. >> Well, well, we'll suspend.
>> 60 seconds.
>> All right, let's get back on the