Australian radiation protection and nuclear safety (consequential amendments) Bill 1998. Explanatory memorandum

The purpose of this Bill is to make consequential changes to the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation Act 1987 (the ANSTO Act) and to provide for transitional arrangements to cover the operation of controlled facilities and the handling of radiation sources while applications for licences to cover these facilities and activities are being made under the proposed Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998 (the ARPANS Act) For this purpose, the Bill: (a) repeals Parts VI and VII A of the ANSTO Act under which, respectively, the Safety Review Committee and the Nuclear Safety Bureau are established, as the functions of the Committee and Bureau will be transferred to the CEO of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, established under the ARPANS Act; (b) makes transitional arrangements for the transfer of the assets and liabilities of the Nuclear Safety Bureau to the Commonwealth, and confers on the CEO of ARPANSA the powers of the Director of the Nuclear Safety Bureau in relation to the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation during the transitional period before the offenses provisions commence to operate under the ARPANS Act; (c) repeals the Environment Protection (Nuclear Codes) Act 1978. That Act provides for the development and endorsement of Codes of Practice which will be undertaken under the auspices of ARPANSA; (d) provides that Commonwealth entities have a transition period of 6 months after the ARPANS Act commences to apply for a licence to authorize specified activities under that Act