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18 September 1977 MINISTER FOR

ENVIRONMENT, HOUSING  AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Canberra A.C.T.

P77/31

IMPLEMENTING CABINET DECISIONS ON URANIUM

The Minister for Environment, Housing and Community-  Development, Mr Kevin Newman, today explained the actions  being taken by his'Department to implement the recent Cabinet,  decisions on uranium mining. .

Mr Newman !said that the Prime Minister, in a letter  to the State Premiers, had referred to the decision to develop  a uniform code of practice to apply to all uranium mining Â· . activities in Australia and any future nuclear activities.

The States had been invited to take part in the process  of developing elements of the code.

The Prime Minister8s letter also said that arrangements  would be made to ensure that industry would be fully informed  and consulted on the development of the code.

'  Mr Newman said that legislation was already being  prepared on national park aspects and the Supervising Scientist  as well as on the uniform code of practice.

Mr Newman confirmed that, under the interim arrangeÂ­ ments, Mr Robert Fry of the Australian Atomic Energy Commission,  had been seconded to the Department of Environment, Housing and  Community Development to assist with establishing the Office of

the Supervising Scientist.

"Mr Fry will be taking action to establish liaison with  the mining companies and the supervising authorities in the  Northern Territory", Mr Newman said. .

Mr Fry has also initiated moves to appoint a group of  experts to advise on a research and monitoring program and will  assist in setting up a co-ordinating committee which will  formulate environmental control measures to be observed by the  Ranger company. The committee will also consider any major

changes in Ranger8s operating procedures.

The committee will include representatives of all the  agencies involved in the research and monitoring program, the  mining companies, the national park authorities and the Northern  Land Council.

Mr Newman said that he expected the concept of a  Research Institute would evolve out of the research program  devised by the group of experts and this would be a relatively  long-term objective.

The Director of National Parks and Wildlife, Professor  Ovington, has commenced work on the development of a management  plan for that part of the Alligator Rivers region that can be  declared a national park at this stage.

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The plan will reconcile various conflicting interests  and activities in the region and will provide for a number of  single and multiple-use zones in the proposed Kakadu National Park. .  " '  "  .  .

Mr Newman said that arrangements are also being made  to convene a meeting of representatives from interested  Departments to ensure the protection of the remainder of the  region before it also is incorporated in the national park.

Amendments to the National Parks and Wildlife  Conservation Act 1975 will be necessary as recommended by the  Ranger Uranium Environmental Inquiry. Â·

