Public Scrutiny of the Application of the NATO Principles in Australia

摘要

Australia adopted the NATO Principles for the Storage and Transport of Ammunition and Explosives in 1981. Like many other nations, Australia faces problems of urban encroachment into areas surrounding explosives facilities. In addition, the Public increasingly questions the nature and purpose of Defence activities. In 1988, the Australian Audit Office tabled a report which was highly critical of the Department of Defence's implementation of explosives safety principles and policy. This report led to a public inquiry by a Joint Parliamentary Committee. The Committee's findings led to some important changes to the Australian Defence Forces' policy for the storage and handling of ammunition and explosives. In particular, a less prescriptive approach to the application of the NATO Principles was adopted. This permits the exercise of technical judgement in deciding what remedial action, if any, needs to be taken to allow activities which do not strictly comply with the Principles to continue. Other matters which arose from the inquiry included attitudinal changes towards issues of public safety and Ministerial accountability.