Legislative Council Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2) 53 2 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Nuclear Waste Nuclear Waste The Hon. I.K. HUNTER Legislative Council Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change Small Business Development Fund The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (15:28): I seek leave of the council to offer some further information to the Hon. Mr Parnell in response to his question. Leave granted. The Hon. I.K. HUNTER Legislative Council The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: I can advise that from the Australian government's perspective, to ensure that concept designs reflect Australia's current inventory, the commonwealth government wrote to EPAs around the country, including the South Australian EPA, seeking advice on any radioactive waste holdings within their jurisdiction. South Australia's radioactive waste holdings form part of a register that is publicly available under the Radiation Protection and Control Act 1982. The EPA periodically reports details of South Australia's holdings to the commonwealth government to assist meeting Australia's reporting obligations under the United Nations Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the safety of radioactive waste management. The EPA has advised the commonwealth government that this publically available information can be sought from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA). The EPA requires owners of radioactive waste to provide annual updates to the waste being held so that the inventory of holdings can be maintained, and the EPA inspects significant waste holdings to ensure that waste is stored safety and securely. I am informed that the waste currently stored throughout South Australia is done so in a safe and secure manner.