Output 1.8 – Advice to Government

Provision of high-quality, timely, relevant and professional advice to Government.

Performance Measures

• Provide policy advice, analysis and briefings that meet the needs of Ministers and other key stakeholders.
• Contribute to the development of Australia's policies by DFAT in the area of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation.
• Cooperate on technical issues of common interest with departments and agencies such as ANSTO, ARPANSA, Department of Defence, Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, and the Australian Intelligence Community.

Performance Assessment

ASNO's role in providing independent expert advice

ASNO continues to provide independent expert advice on various non-proliferation policy and regulatory issues. In this regard, ASNO's remit is supported by section 43(d) of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation (Safeguards) Act 1987, which states that one of the functions of the Director General is 'to undertake, co-ordinate and facilitate research and development in relation to nuclear safeguards'.

ASNO continued its work on providing advice to the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (DISER) and the Australian Radioactive Waste Agency (ARWA) regarding the National Radioactive Waste Management Facility including: a detailed business case; licensing process; design of a waste information management system; and safeguards and security by design support to the work of ANSTO and ARWA on the detailed engineering design for the facility.²⁷

On 12 March 2020, Dr John Kalish, Assistant Secretary ASNO, appeared before the Victorian Government's Environment and Planning Committee to provide input to the Inquiry into Nuclear Prohibition. The inquiry considered the potential benefits to Victoria in removing prohibitions enacted by the Nuclear Activities (Prohibitions) Act 1983 and the final report was tabled on 26 November 2020.²⁸

Over the reporting period ASNO continued working closely with ARPANSA on best practices for the security of nuclear material, including:

• Spent fuel management, and
• Periodic Safety and Security Review of ANSTO's OPAL Research Reactor.

ASNO worked actively with DFAT throughout the year supporting Australia's successful campaign for the election of Dr Floyd as Executive Secretary of the CTBTO. This included input to advice to Ministers. ASNO's history of engagement with the CTBTO was critical to shaping campaign strategy and messaging.

27 ASNO is working with ANSTO to ensure the engineering designs for the facility can meet requirements to facilitate ongoing IAEA verification while seeking to minimise costs associated with verification.

28 Inquiry into Nuclear Prohibition, Parliament of Victoria.