*1482 Senator Ludlam: To ask the Minister representing the Attorney-General-With reference to the uranium seized on 1 April 2009 during a police raid on a property in Harcourt, central Victoria:
(1) Was the quantity of uranium found 300 grams as reported in the media.
(2) (a) Where is this material currently stored; and (b) what are the long-term plans for its handling.
(3) (a) What is the chemical form of the uranium; and (b) what is its isotopic composition.
(4) Given that it is possible to determine where uranium is mined and last chemically processed: (a) can the Attorney-General confirm that this uranium came from an Australian uranium mine; and (b) if an assessment has not yet been conducted will the Federal Government commit to do so as a matter of urgency and publicly report the outcomes.
(5) If the uranium is Australian, is it from an existing mine, Olympic Dam, Ranger or Beverley, an old mine, or was the material sourced from a research facility at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation or the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency.
(6) Is this uranium related to a significant security breach of the Olympic Dam mine in 2007 wherein ten 300 gram jars of yellow cake uranium samples were found.
(7) What security measures are in place at uranium mines in Australia to prevent the theft, unauthorised use or loss of material control of radioactive materials.
(8) Will the Attorney-General be working with the Minister for Resources and Energy and the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research to review the security and procedures at nuclear facilities and uranium mines following this incident.
(9) (a) Are there inadequate material control procedures; if so, what steps will the Federal Government undertake, or require uranium mine operators to implement, in an attempt to address this; and (b) does this incident reflect a disturbing deficiency in workplace culture in relation to the responsible handling of uranium; if so, what steps will the Federal Government undertake, or require uranium mine operators to implement, in an attempt to address this.
(10) Is the Federal Government considering expanding the role and jurisdiction of the Office of the Supervising Scientist to cover uranium mining operations outside of the Alligator Rivers Region; if not, why not.
(11) (a) How much information on quantities of uranium mined, processed, transported etcetera comes from the companies themselves; and (b) how much of that information is independently verified by the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office or other government agencies.
(12) Given that media reports on this incident state that uranium is valuable on the black market, what is the size and value of the black market in nuclear materials in Australia.

Senator Wong-The Attorney-General has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

I am advised that:

(1) This incident is a Victorian jurisdictional issue and is being investigated by Victoria Police. It is not appropriate that the Commonwealth comment on this matter, especially as investigations are continuing and analyses of the samples are not complete.

(2) (a) See response to Question (1). (b) The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) will store the material [See response (4) (b)]

(3) (a) and (b) See response to Question (1).

(4) (a) See response to Question (1).(b) ANSTO has been commissioned by the Victorian Police to conduct a detailed analysis of the material in question.

(5) See response to Question (1).

(6) See response to Question (1).

(7) The Minister for Foreign Affairs has responsibility for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation (Safeguards) Act 1987 (Safeguards Act) which covers the security of nuclear facilities and materials.
The Safeguards Act is implemented by the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office (ASNO). ASNO's Annual Report, which is tabled in Parliament, describes ASNO's activities in this regard. Security requirements for uranium mines in Australia are specified through conditions in permits issued under the Safeguards Act. The relevant international instruments, e.g. the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM) and its 2005 amendment, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) physical protection standards (INFCIRC/225/Rev.4) do not contain specific requirements for uranium ore concentrates (UOC) at mines, apart from protection
"in accordance with prudent management practice". However, ASNO has put in place robust physical protection measures at all uranium mines. In developing these requirements, ASNO has taken into account technical advice from the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO). A uranium mine operator is required to have a security plan covering UOC production, transport and storage, including associated security measures and procedures scaled according to risk. Core elements of the security plan and associated security system include: accounting and auditing of the product; control of access to the product; and, measures to deter and detect attempted theft or attack. ASNO inspects and audits uranium mining operations in Australia to ensure appropriate material management and physical protection measures are being applied. The security risks associated with nuclear materials vary widely, depending on the types and quantities of material - and nuclear safeguards and security requirements are scaled to accommodate this variability. For example, possession of less than 10kg of natural uranium does not normally require a permit for safeguards and security under the Safeguards Act, reflecting the fact that the security and proliferation risks associated with such small quantities are negligible.

(8) No. Security of nuclear material and facilities is the responsibility of the Minister for Foreign Affairs under the Safeguards Act [see the answer to Question (7)]. ASNO will take into account the results of the investigation of this incident, when it has been completed, in determining
what further actions may be required.

(9) (a) & (b) No. In 2006, ASIO completed a comprehensive review of the security arrangements for uranium production, transport and storage arrangements in Australia. ASNO has reflected the recommendations of this review in the conditions of permits issued to the uranium mine operators. These security requirements provide for robust material control measures, consistent with world's best practice. ASNO works with permit holders on these security requirements, and monitors their implementation.

(10) The Supervising Scientist Division, which includes the Office of the Supervising Scientist Branch, is a division of the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. The Division contributes to the Australian Government's environmental assessment of uranium mining proposals under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. This includes provision of advice on mining operations outside the Alligator Rivers Region.

(11) (a) and (b) All uranium producers are required to record and report their production, stocks and movements of UOC, which are subject to audit by ASNO. IAEA inspectors also visit uranium mines as part of the safeguards activities under Australia's Additional Protocol with the IAEA - there have been five such visits since 1997. Furthermore, State and Territory authorities audit production for the purpose of royalties. (12) The Government is not aware of a black market in nuclear materials in Australia