Australian Submarine Agency Licence Application to Site a Prescribed Radiation Facility known as the ‘Controlled Industrial Facility’

Closed 7 Jun 2024

Opened 9 May 2024

Contact

1800 022 333

public.submissions@arpansa.gov.au

Feedback updated 17 Jul 2024

We asked

We asked for your feedback in relation to the licence application from the Australian Submarine Agency (ASA), seeking approval to prepare a site for a prescribed radiation facility known as the Controlled Industrial Facility (CIF) at the existing HMAS Stirling Navy Base, on Garden Island in Western Australia. While public consultation is not required for this type of application, the ARPANSA CEO elected to invite comment due to the expected level of public interest.

You said

We received 165 submissions from a range of stakeholders, including health professionals, environmental groups, workers and members of the general public. There were a range of submission topics including some expressing concern about the level of information made available for public comment; issues relating to safety of the proposed facility and concerns regarding the lack of a radiological waste disposal pathway in Australia.

We did

We took all public submissions into account in our regulatory assessment of this licence application. We have provided a response to demonstrate how the submissions were considered in our decision-making process. Overall, we found that there were no submissions that justified refusal of the licence. We found that the application provided sufficient evidence of the radiological safety of the proposed facility. The application decision and our responses to the public submissions can be found on the ARPANSA website.

Overview

Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998

Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Regulations 2018

Notice of intention to make a decision on a facility licence application

The CEO of ARPANSA hereby gives notice of her intention to make a decision under section 32 of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998 (the Act) regarding the following application for a facility licence:

Application number: A0346
Applicant name: Australian Submarine Agency (ASA)
Name of facility: Controlled Industrial Facility
Type of facility: Prescribed Radiation Facility
Proposed location: HMAS Stirling, at Garden Island, Rockingham WA
Application type: Authorisation to prepare a site for a controlled facility.

The application will be reviewed against the requirements and criteria of the ARPANS Act and Regulations as well as international best practice. ARPANSA takes a staged approach (Siting, Construction, Operation, Decommissioning) to licencing of all facilities as prescribed by the ARPANSA Regulations. This application is for siting of the proposed facility.

The CEO of ARPANSA invites written comments from individuals, organisations and groups in relation to the application. Comments can be submitted via the ‘Have your say’ link below. The CEO will take all submissions into account before making a decision about whether or not to grant ASA a facility licence to prepare a site for the Controlled Industrial Facility.

Information about the ASA licence application is available in the document linked below:

Australian Submarine Agency - ARPANSA Submission

How to make a submission

You can make your submission by clicking on the Have your Say link below. This link will take you to a short survey that will allow you to provide your opinion and any comments or feedback in relation to the licence application. 

Please ensure to only make a single submission of the survey as multiple responses from individuals may not be considered.

Submissions closed for this consultation at 11:59pm, Friday 7 June 2024.

Submissions received are reviewed along with application material to inform the CEO’s decision in relation to this licence application. Information about the decision and outcomes of this process will be published once available.

Why your views matter

ARPANSA is responsible for issuing and administering licences for radiation sources and facilities owned and operated by Commonwealth entities. All licence applications are subject to requirements relating to the protection of people and the environment from the harmful effects of radiation. As part of this process, we are seeking your feedback, to ensure opinions from local communities, workers, experts and the general public are considered in the decision-making process.