Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) Annual Report 2000-2001

ANSTO's main activities and outputs during the year under review (1 July 2000- 30 June 2001) are presented in this report. Highlights include: the replacement research reactor project, to be completed in 2005, proceeded on schedule and within budget, a great deal of effort has been expended on the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report for the reactor, as well as the review of the detailed engineering design; the fifth shipment of spent fuel was made successfully, so that more than half of the spent fuel accumulated over the entire lifetime of HIFAR has now been shipped overseas; radiopharmaceutical sales reached $17.9 million, a $2 million increase over the previous year. Another milestone this year, not only for ANSTO but Australia as a whole, was the entry into force in January of an Integrated Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA. ANSTO, together with the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office have led the world on the implementation of integrated safeguards, and other countries are now following. In the health sector, ANSTO's reputation and capabilities continued to grow with Therapeutic Goods Administration approval for FDGenTM, a metabolic tracer used in the diagnosis of the staging of cancer in cardiac imaging and the imaging of certain neurological conditions. In the field of strategic research, the use of neutron scattering techniques to understand the structure of a range of materials from charcoal to polymers has yielded significant results. In response to funding challenges, the organisation increased external earnings, improved efficiencies and reduced expenditure on research and development. With regard to revenue, ANSTO generated $35.8 million (1999-2000, $32.2 million) from external services, representing 29.5% of total income, excluding capital use charge. With the aim of establishing an appropriate base for the future, ANSTO undertook an output pricing review with the Department of Finance. This review concluded that the price for operating the nuclear facilities and delivering nuclear expertise is appropriate, and that ANSTO's management and pricing are consistent with world's best practice. Government has agreed that ANSTO be supplemented for the increased costs associated with regulation, that backlog maintenance funding be provided for three years, and that there be no further cuts to ANSTO's research funding. Copyright (2001) Commonwealth of Australia