IMPORTATION AND TRANSPORTATION OF RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA: AN OVERVIEW

摘要

This article provides an overview of the regulatory regime applicable to the importation and transportation of radioactive substances in Western Australia, which comprises a mixture of Commonwealth and State legislation, and is similar in many respects to the regimes in other Australian States and Territories. Radioactive substances are used for a wide range of industrial, medical and research purposes. In addition to their use in the nuclear fuel cycle, they are often used in the mining and petroleum industries to locate and quantify oil, natural gas and mineral deposits and map geological contours. There has been increasing regulatory and media scrutiny regarding the security and safe transportation of radioactive substances and other dangerous goods in Australia for public health and national security reasons. If the current Western Australian government policy in relation to uranium mining and nuclear energy changes, it is likely that the regulatory issues relating to the transportation of radioactive material would become increasingly important.