Our 2017–18 Annual Report was tabled in parliament on Wednesday 17 October 2018.
The Annual Report informs parliament, stakeholders and the public how we have enabled protection of the Australian people and environment from the harmful effects of radiation during the last financial year.
2017–18 was a big year for ARPANSA and we were committed to delivering large-scale, key organisational priorities. Of note was:
- planning and preparing for the installation of a new linear accelerator
- our commitment to good regulation and transparency by completing a self-assessment against international standards. This was in preparation for a scheduled visit by an Integrated Regulatory Review Service mission from the International Atomic Energy Agency later in 2018, which will review Australia’s regulatory framework against international best-practice.
- issuing a licence to the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) to operate the new ANSTO Nuclear Medicine Facility in Lucas Heights
- facilitating ongoing engagement with relevant parties to the National Radioactive Waste Management Facility (NRWMF)
- leading the Australian delegation to the 6th Review Meeting under the terms of the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management. Our report went through a process of international peer-review and received positive feedback, including receiving recognition in four areas of ‘good performance’
- expanding our centralised repository for the radiation dose records of workers into the medical sector. This is a key step forward towards national uniformity of radiation protection practices.
These activities strengthen our position as the government’s primary authority on radiation protection and nuclear safety, and enable continued cooperation and growth between our stakeholders, service providers and the community.
Alongside our strategic projects are the operational services we provide on a daily basis.
During 2017–18, ARPANSA:
- tested over 2000 sun protective materials
- conducted 110 audits through its Australian Clinical Dosimetry Service (ACDS)
- achieved 696 radiofrequency calibration test reports
- performed over 2700 diagnostic reference level surveys, an increase of almost 80 per cent
- processed nearly 150 000 dosimeters that measure occupational radiation exposures
- conducted 41 regulatory inspections
- developed a cost recovery model for regulatory licence charges.
Read the full ARPANSA 2017–18 Annual Report.
