9 August 1977

NEWS RELEASE

MINISTER FOR  ENVIRONMENT, HOUSING  AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Canberra A.C.T.

P77/19

SCIENTISTS TO STUDY MARALINGA AREA

The Minister for Environment, Housing and Community  Development, Mr Kevin Newman, today announced that a  scientific study of the. possible dispersal of radioactive  material in the Maralinga area of South Australia has commenced.

The survey will provide information on land within  the former Maralinga atomic test range which could be returned  to general use. It would also contribute to general scientific  knowledge. Field work for the survey will begin on Thursday,

11 Augu s t.

Mr Newman said the survey is being carried out  under the guidance of the Australian Ionising Radiation  Advisory Council supported by the Department of Environment,  Housing and Community Development and the Department of  Defence. Specialist technical assistance is also being provided

by the Australian Radiation Laboratory, the Australian Atomic  Energy Commission, the Bureau of Meteorology and two South  Australian Departments, the Department of Mines and the Department

for the Environment.

The survey had been recommended to the Government by  the Australian Ionising Radiation Advisory Council. Its  purpose is to study the possible dispersal by natural agencies  of radioactive substances remaining after the low yield atomic

tests at Maralinga from 1955 to 1963Â·

The survey team will include experts in ecology,  health physics, meteorology, geology/hydrology.  The field  party will collect soil and biological samples for subsequent  laboratory analysis. The analysis phase of the survey and the

later processing and interpretation of the data will take some  months to complete.

