A global report on nuclear materials security around the world has ranked Australia top of the class.
Australia has the best nuclear materials security practices in the world according to the Nuclear Materials Security Index – a new report released overnight by the Nuclear Threat Initiative.
The Nuclear Threat Initiative is a non-profit, non-partizan organisation founded by American businessman Ted Turner and former US Senator Sam Nunn that works to improve global security and fulfilment of the goals of non-proliferation treaties.
The new report ranked Australia as number one of 32 countries including the United Kingdom, United States and Japan.
The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), located in south west Sydney, is the home of much of Australia’s nuclear expertise and its only nuclear reactor.
ANSTO’s General Manager Security and Safeguards, Paul Jones, welcomed the report, and said it’s a testament to ANSTO’s work to ensure the security and safety of our operations.
“As custodian of Australia’s only nuclear reactor, ANSTO leads the world in the safe, peaceful use of nuclear research,” Mr Jones said.
“The work we do here is incredibly important – including producing more than 10,000 doses of nuclear medicine a week, and undertaking complex climate change and minerals research.
“That said, our absolute priority is to do this work safely – and this report is independent endorsement of the security and safeguards we have in place.
"We work closely with the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office, the regulator with responsibility for the security of all nuclear materials in Australia.
“I’m particularly pleased with the 100 / 100 ranking that Australia received for the security control measures in place, which are continuously reviewed and updated.
“While the vast majority of the material ANSTO works with is low enriched uranium, we have the best possible security and safety measures in place for all nuclear material we manage.”
The Nuclear Materials Security Index provides a ranking according to five key factors:
- Quantities and sites including transportation and the amount of materials;
- Security control measures including physical and personnel measures;
- Global norms including transparency, international legal and voluntary commitments;
- Domestic commitments and capacity including independent regulatory oversight, legislative protections and safeguards; and
- Societal factors including political stability and corruption prevention measures.
The NTI was formed in 2001 and lists Warren Buffet, Google and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation among its financial supporters and has board members that include a former U.S. secretary of defense, members of the legislative bodies of the United Kingdom and the United States, a Nobel Prize winner, a world-renowned nuclear physicist and international security experts.