ARPANSA is responsible for licensing Commonwealth entities using radiation and for ongoing compliance monitoring of these entities with the requirements of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998 (the Act) and the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Regulations 2018 as well as any specific conditions stated in the licence.
ARPANSA regulates a broad range of sources and facilities from baggage X-ray units in airports to the OPAL research reactor at Lucas Heights. We also regulate the use of hazardous non-ionising radiation which includes high powered lasers and powerful sources of ultraviolet radiation
The Act applies to 'controlled persons' who undertake activities in relation to nuclear installations, prescribed radiation facilities and dealings with controlled material or controlled apparatus.
The Act also applies to ‘permitted persons’ who are persons other than controlled persons who are permitted, under an arrangement with the licence holder, to do any of the things for which the licence holder is authorised. Refer to section 11A of the Act.
In section 13 of the Act, a ‘controlled person’ is defined as:
- Commonwealth entity - this includes:
- Commonwealth departments (e.g. Department of Defence, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade)
- bodies corporate established for a public purpose by or under an Act (e.g. CSIRO, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation)
- a company in which a controlling interest is held by the Commonwealth
- an employee of a person or body covered by any of the above
- Commonwealth contractor - this means a person (other than a Commonwealth entity) who is a party to a contract with a Commonwealth entity. Refer to section 11 of the Act.
- an employee of a Commonwealth contractor
- person in a prescribed Commonwealth place.
NOTE: If you do not fit this definition then you may need a licence with one of the State or territory regulators.
ARPANSA licence holders
The following organisations hold one or more ARPANSA licences as of November 2022:
- ASC Pty Ltd
- Attorney-General's Department
- AUSTRAC
- Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission
- Australian Federal Police
- Australian Institute of Marine Science
- Australian National University
- Australian National Maritime Museum
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
- Australian Postal Corporation
- Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency
- Australian Trade and Investment Commission
- Australian Signals Directorate
- Australian Sports Commission
- Australian War Memorial
- Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
- Decipha Pty Ltd
- Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
- Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
- Department of Defence/Australian Defence Forces
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Department of Home Affairs
- Department of Industry, Science and Resources
- Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
- Department of Parliamentary Services
- Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
- Federal Court of Australia
- High Court of Australia
- Indian Ocean Territory Health Service
- Law Courts Limited
- National Gallery of Australia
- National Museum of Australia
- Norfolk Island Health and Residential Aged Care Service
- Note Printing Australia Limited
- Reserve Bank of Australia
- Royal Australian Mint
- Silex Systems Limited
