Australia continues to take a leading role in the development of new nuclear safeguards procedures and approaches aimed at identifying any non-peaceful nuclear activities.
The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) is cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to help pioneer a new safeguards regime involving short-notice inspections and wider access.
The new approach, known as "integrated safeguards", combines the "classical" safeguards applied since the 1970s with the strengthened safeguards measures developed following the discovery of Iraqs clandestine nuclear weapons program.
Inspectors from the IAEA are working in conjunction with the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office (ASNO) to introduce the new standard for nuclear monitoring.
Australia is the first country in the world where integrated safeguards have been introduced. As part of the new system, IAEA inspectors will conduct one or more short-notice inspections each year, in which ANSTO will be given three hours notice. IAEA inspectors can also perform additional verification activities, known as "complementary access", anywhere at ANSTO and at other places in Australia.
ANSTOs Nuclear Safeguards Officer, Michael Binovec, said the three-hour notice for inspections was included to ensure nuclear safeguards staff from both ANSTO and ASNO would be available to assist with the inspectors' access.
"The inspectors can turn up at any time", he said. " We have been taking part in integrated safeguards since April 2001, and have to be ready at any moment to account for our activities to the IAEA and to allow them to inspect our facilities and our records.
"Australia has an outstanding record in nuclear safeguards. In 1997, Australia was the first country to accept strengthened safeguards, and now we are the first to qualify for integrated safeguards.
The new standard for openness to international scrutiny is being held up as an example for other countries to follow, and is attracting interest from around the world. We are taking the lead in being the first nation to adopt the most stringent level of scrutiny by the IAEA."
Published: 26/07/2001