P A R L I A M E N T  O F  A U S T R A L I A

H O U S E  O F  R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

OPPOSITION WHIP  PARLIAMENT HOUSE  CANBERRA. A.C.T. 2500

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MEDIA RELEASE FROM MR LES JOHNSON MHR FOR HUGHES AND  FEDERAL OPPOSITION WHIP - PARLIAMENT HOUSE, CANBERRA  TELEPHONE 72.6405 .  Â·

Mr Les Johnson MHR for Hughes welcomed the tabling of the '   NERDDC Review Committee Report on the Australian Atomic . Energy Commission Research Establishment.  .

"The Review and proposals on the future activities and Ã¢ÂÂ    directions which theÂ· Commission should take will provide  a basis for discussion and future policies" Mr Johnson  said.  .  :  Ã¢ÂÂ   . . . . . Â·  Â·

Mr- Johnson said that the Committee had made some salient .  Ã¢ÂÂ    recommendations which if accepted would mark a major. '  Â·  . shift in emphasis in the research projects- undertaken Â·  .  Ã¢ÂÂ  by the establishment.Â· .  '  . . .

The Committee has concluded that although Lucas Heights should  remain the centre for nuclear research in Australia,.  there '  .   should be a reduction of effort in the nuclear area.. .

"The development of new research programs inÂ·the non .  . nuclear field has been advocated for some time.Â· It is ; reassuring that NERDDC has now supported.thisÃ¢ÂÂ view",  Â·  ; Mr Johnson' said. "This will inevitably.mean that the .  '  expertise of Â· Â·  the Establishment should be. broadened,. " . .

However Mr Johnson' said that he would be highly critical '  ’ if those currently employed at the Establishment lose  their jobs without an opportunity to be re-employed in  a comparable capacity.. .  .  '  Â·

The Committee has in broad terms identified the national  development priority areas which bear some relationship  to the skills available at Lucas Heights. Ã¢ÂÂ

They are the areas of alternative liquid fuels, solar '  .  Ã¢ÂÂ  energy technology and aspects of coal conversion technology. Mr Johnson said that once the AAEC established its competence  in these areas the Federal Government should be prepared

to allocate the funds necessary to ensure that the number  of employees at the AAEC is not reduced.  .

Mr Johnson said that residents of the Sutherland Shire . who have questioned the need for a new reactor have Â· , been..  vindicated by the Report.  Â·  '  Ã¢ÂÂ

In relation to proposals to replace the existing HXFAR reactor  with a new reactor the Committee believes that the new .   avenues of research which would be opened up with use of a  new reactor could not justify the expected expenditure of up

to $40m. .  "  .  .  Ã¢ÂÂ   .  " .  Ã¢ÂÂ   Ã¢ÂÂ

However the Committee was of the opinion that HIFAR should be  refurbished,  at an unexpected cost'of $10m. .  .

Mr Johnson said that the Committee found that continued  operation of a research reactor in Australia was essential .  / 2 -

2 .

for the production of short lived radioisotopes and  to maintain an important scientific facility in the  country.  "  Â·  '  .  Â· '

