MEDIA RELEASE CANBERRA PR NO. 85/345 5 DECEMBER 1985 Â«2Â» THE SENATE SANDERS SEEKS SUPPORT FOR BRITISH ATOMIC TEST VICTIMS

Senator Norm Sanders, Australian Democrat spokesperson on

nuclear issues, today slammed the scientific community and

Sir Ernest Titterton in the Senate today during the presentation of

the Report of the Royal Commission into British Nuclear Tests

in Australia.

"The Big Brother protector syndrome led Australia to put the people

of this nation in appalling physical jeopardy. The Government

did.what it was asked to do by the British Government, without

any questions.  Colluding with them in misleading the Government,

the media, and the people of Australia, was Titterton", Senator

Sanders said. .

Dr. Sanders pointed out that Sir Ernest Titterton even today

is unrepentent and continues to be a leading apologist for the |

nuclear power industry in Australia. "The Report points out that

much of the blame for the secrecy and misleading information

relating to the British atomic tests can be laid fairly and

squarely at Titterton's feet", Senator Sanders continued.

"The seven simple recommendations of the Royal Commission clearly

call for compensation for those affected. However the. victims

of the tests, civilian arid military, have not had access to the

major document which would prove the radioactive contamination of

their bodies - the Blue Book.

"The Blue Book is the official British record of the individual

doses of each person taken by measuring devices worn by

the personnel themselves. The British Government has consistently

refused to release the Blue Book data to the victims for security

reasons, which is quite absurd after 3 decades", Senator Sanders

said.

.../"The Thatcher Government

"The Thatcher Government claimed that they would give the

Commission every cooperation, yet a major group giving evidence

was denied access to the very evidence which would prove their

case. .

"The Government must now follow the recommendations of the

Commission and do everything in its power to compensate the

victims of the British atomic tests. The essential first

step is the immediate release of the Blue Book", Senator Sanders

concluded.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: .  Senator Norm Sanders 062 727690

Helene Teichmann 062 727556

