t e W .  J96/81

JOINT PRESS STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT  AND ENERGY,  SENATOR GARRICK, AND THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH, THE  HON. M. J. R. MacKELLAR

PILOT SURVEY OF ATOMIC TESTS PERSONNEL

The Minister for National Development and Energy, Senator

Garrick, and the Minister for Health, The Hon. Michael MacKellar,

announced today that a pilot study has commenced of 200 personnel .

who were involved in the UK atomic test programs at Monte Bello,

Emu and Maralinga in the 1950s.  Â·

The pilot study is part of the program of assessing the

health of Australians who participated in the tests. QuestionÂ­

naires have been sent to 200 personnel who are being asked to

participate in the pilot study. They have been selected at

random from a register which now contains over 5000 names of

personnel who had some involvement in the tests and who have

been located to date.

The Ministers assured participants that information which

is provided on their role in the tests program and their health

experiences would be treated in strict confidence.

In addition to health and related aspects,  the purpose

of the pilot study is to identify what problems might arise

with a survey drawing on personal recollections of events which

occurred about 25 years ago.  '  Ã¢ÂÂ

Senator Garrick said that the task of tracing personnel

would continue until he was satisfied that all reasonable efforts

had been made to locate all Australians who had any association

with the tests. It was intended to contact all personnel when

the search was completed.

Contact officers:  MR I. Morison

CANBERRA: 10 November 1981 '  458553 (w); 731482 (h)

Dr J. Donovan 898568 (w);  886979 (h).

