P R E S S  R E L E A S E

No. 83/90  CANBERRA  2 7 May 8 3

THE SENATE

DEMOCRATS SLAM ATOMIC TEST REPORTS

Australian Democrat Senator for Queensland, Michael Mack1in has slammed

a federal agency report claiming Australia met international safety

standards at atomic tests during the 1950s.

He said that the report prepared by the Australian Ionising Radiation

Advisory Council had apparently not investigated the matter very

thoroughly. .

"There are a number of specific incidents where safety standards

have proven lax or totally non-existent," Senator Macklin said.

He said the claim that twelve explosions in South Australia and

Western Australia had met international prescribed radiation dose

limitations may be correct but a number of serious breaches of safety

standards did occur. .

"There are incidents of servicemen hosing down contaminated aircraft

who were wearing little more than a singlet and shorts. This continued

until it was realised how contaminated these aircraft w e r e . Also

little training was given to the servicemen which often led to lax

attitudes towards safety", Senator Macklin s a i d .

He said there were a number of documented cases of negligence on the

part of the authorities. Senator Macklin also criticised the report's

claim that carefully planned and executed precautions were taken to

ensure the safety of aboriginals living in the a r e a .

"A number of aboriginals were not rounded up and the warning signs in

English were of little help. The fact that a number of aboriginals

were exposed to radiation indicates the ineffectiveness of the

measures taken by the authorities", Senator Macklin said.

Senator Macklin1s concern about this situation led him to move a

Notice of Motion when Parliament resumed in April, that will come

up for debate s o o n . This Notice of Motion called on the Government

to recognise the plight of servicemen affected by these tests and

to take appropriate action to amend the existing legislation.

For further information: Senator Michael Macklin (062) 72 7595

or Robin Jacklin (07) 391 8680 or a/hours (07) 489 864

