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PRESS STATEMENT by the Minister for National Development

The Minister for National Development, Mr Kevin Newman, stated today that there was no  substance in the claim by Mr Bowen yesterday that  railway wagons carrying uranium oxide were detached

from a Mt Isa - Brisbane freight train and left  standing at a siding.

Mr Newman said that the Australian Atomic  Energy Commission had confirmed that investigations by  State and Commonwealth authorities associated with the  shipment of uranium oxide from Mary Kathleen to Brisbane  had shown that all 15 uranium shipments railed from  Mt Isa to Brisbane since shipments commenced in January,

1977, following re-opening of the mine, had arrived  intact with all containers accounted for.

The Queensland Railways Department' in an  announcement last night said that exhaustive checks  showed that at no time had any wagons carrying  uranium oxide been missing.

Mr Newman said that the packaging, labelling  and transport arrangements for all movements of uranium  oxide from Mary Kathleen are made in complete accordance  with the requirements of the "Regulations for Safe  Transport of Radioactive Materials" prepared by the

International Atomic Energy Agency. These regulations  meet the requirements of the Queensland Department of  Health for the transport of uranium oxide through  the State of Queensland. .

The Queensland State Police have primary  responsibility for the security of uranium oxide  consignments in that State. These arrangements include  the guarding of each individual consignment during

transit. Additionally, the Police guarding each  consignment have instructions on appropriate action to  be taken in the event of any damage occurring to a  freight container carrying uranium oxide (Yellowcake).

Mr Newman is also responsible for the Australian  Safeguards Office which requires Mary Kathleen uranium  to comply with specific safeguards conditions. The  Company has to meet these Australian Safeguards Office  conditions while the shipment is in transit both within  Australia and after it has left Australia.

CANBERRA

6 July, 1978

