Commonwealth of Australia

National Radioactive Waste Management Act 2012

Notice under section 10 of the National Radioactive Waste Management Act 2012

NOTIFICATION OF PROPOSED DECLARATION

The Australian Government is committed to ensuring Australia has an appropriate facility for the management of radioactive waste created within Australia.

The Government’s approach to securing a site is consistent with leading practice for the management of low level and intermediate level radioactive waste.  The Government’s approach requires:

• A volunteer process that brings forward multiple site options for consideration;
• Evidenced and undisputed consent from landowners of potential sites; and
• Rigorous regulatory approval processes for potential sites.

I, IAN MACFARLANE, Minister for Industry, give notice that I propose to make a declaration under section 6 of the National Radioactive Waste Management Act 2012, to open a nationwide volunteer process for nominating land as a potential site for a facility. 

The National Radioactive Waste Management Act 2012 specifically introduced the nationwide volunteer process as a means of finding a site for a radioactive waste management facility.  Prior to this only land in the Northern Territory could be considered.

A declaration under section 6 of the Act would end the volunteer process in section 5 of the Act, which is confined to Aboriginal Land Councils in the Northern Territory.

If a declaration under section 6 is in effect, a person or persons may, in accordance with section 7 of the Act, nominate land in a State, the Australian Capital Territory or the Northern Territory as a potential site for a radioactive waste management facility.

This notice is made in accordance with subsection 10(1)(b) of the National Radioactive Waste Management Act 2012.

Comments

I invite written comments on the proposed declaration.

Comments relevant to this declaration must be received no later than 10 November 2014.

Written comments should be submitted through the Department’s Consultation Hub at https://consult.industry.gov.au/

Or addressed to:

The Manager
Radioactive Waste Management Section
Resources Division
Department of Industry
GPO Box 9839
Canberra, ACT, 2601

Comments received in response to this invitation (including names but not including contact information such as addresses and phone numbers) may be published on the Department’s website, unless the person providing comments requests that they are treated confidentially. Information about the Department’s privacy policy is available on the Department’s website at www.industry.gov.au.