(

DPIE92/46C

COMI

PARHAM

8 July 1992

COMMONWEALTH RETURNS MONTE BELLO ISLANDS TO WESTERN AUSTRALIA

The Commonwealth Government has ended 40 years of control  of the Monte Bello islands, north-west of Dampier, by  transferring responsibility back to Western Australia.

The Minister for Primary Industries and Energy, Simon  Crean, announced the removal of a Commonwealth declaration  of the islands as a prohibited area during a visit to  Trimouille Island today with the WA Environment Minister,  Bob Pearce.

Controls on access to the area were put in place in 1952  when Britain's first nuclear test, in an operation code-  named Hurricane, was conducted on the islands. Two further  atomic tests were carried out in 1956.

As part of the hand-over, Mr Crean announced Federal  funding of $310,000 to assist the WA Government in  establishing a conservation park.

"The establishment of a conservation park satisfies the  requirement for the island to be properly managed and the  need to recognise and suitably protect the natural  environment of the islands." '

Mr Crean said the Government had established a Technical  Assessment Group (TAG) in response to Royal Commission  recommendations, to examine the nature and extent of  contamination at the former British nuclear test sites.

"One of TAG'S responsibilities was to assess the  radiological condition of the Monte Bello islands."

The Minister said under the land use envisaged by Western  Australia, TAG found there was no reason why the islands  could not be returned to WA.

"The Commonwealth sees the return of the islands as a  significant step in addressing the recommendations of the  Royal Commission into the British nuclear tests in  Australia."

The Monte Bello islands are a group of over 100 islands  approximately 75 kilometres off the Pilbara Coast to the  north of Barrow Island.

Contact: Catherine Payne, Minister's Office (06) 277 7520.

Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600. Telephone: (06)277 7520 Facsimile: (06)273 4120

