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Last night, the ABC’s 7.30 report on uranium enrichment was wrong to state that work undertaken by ANSTO’s predecessor, the AAEC2, in the 1980’s was conducted in secret and without the knowledge of the Government of the time.
Relevant public records, including the annual reports of the AAEC and the Australian Safeguards Office describe the enrichment research using centrifuges at the Lucas Heights site that was undertaken up until 1986.
Statements by former staff of the AAEC do not reflect the current views of ANSTO. ANSTO’s submission to the UMPNER process last year expressed strong doubts as to the commercial feasibility of a proposal to set up an enrichment facility in Australia.
It should be noted that ANSTO undertakes no uranium enrichment or weapons-related research.
ANSTO maintains high security, consistent with government and public expectations. The ANSTO site houses reactor facilities and radioactive material which must be protected under international and national regulations. ANSTO also undertakes a wide variety of applied nuclear science research which is commercially valuable.
Published: 15/06/2007