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Parliamentary Questions


Question On Notice No. 569 asked in the Legislative Council on 15 March 2022 by Hon Dr Brad Pettitt

Question Directed to the: Minister for Emergency Services representing the Minister for Police
Parliament: 41 Session: 1


Question

I refer to the Minister’s answer on 15 February 2022 to question on notice 458 regarding the Astute class nuclear submarine that visited HMAS Stirling Naval Base on Garden Island in October 2021. I ask the Minister:
(a) which agencies were involved in the ‘visiting nuclear warships’ training exercise conducted on 21 February 2019;
(b) in the event of a nuclear accident or a similar emergency affecting Western Australia:
(i) what health measures are currently in place;
(ii) how many iodine tablets are currently stored appropriately in Western Australia;
(iii) who is responsible for managing the inventory of iodine tablets
;
(iv) who is responsible for administering iodine tablets to the public;
(v) how would the iodine tablets be administered;
(vi) which agencies are responsible for responding to and managing possible health outcomes;
(vii) have the staff of those agencies received training in responding to and managing possible health outcomes;
(viii) have the staff of those agencies received relevant scenario-based training in emergency evacuations;
(ix) what evacuation procedures are currently in place; and
(x) how would an evacuation be carried out;
(c) in relation to the training conducted on 21 February 2019:
(i) how much did the training cost; and
(ii) who paid for the training;
(d) what was the total cost of hosting the Astute class submarine at HMAS Stirling;
(e) who paid for the Astute class submarine to be hosted at HMAS Stirling;
(f) did the Government of the United Kingdom pay any fees or charges for visiting the HMAS Stirling base;
(g) if yes to (f):
(i) what amounts were paid;
(ii) what where the amounts for; and
(iii) who were the amounts paid to;
(h) in regard to 3.3.3 of State Hazard Plan HAZMAT, Annex A – Radiation Escape from a Nuclear Powered Warship (NPW) and the Minister’s answer to question on notice 458 stating that nuclear submarine or warships would be towed and anchored three nautical miles away from the baseline:
(i) what is meant by the term 'baseline';
(ii) where is the 'baseline';
(iii) what agency would carry out the operation to tow the submarine or warship;
(iv) what would the estimated costs of such an operation be;
(v) who would pay for the costs of such an operation;
(vi) what would happen once the submarine or warship is towed and anchored;
(vii) could a nuclear submarine or warship that is emitting radiation and in meltdown or another unstable state be potentially left permanently anchored off the shore of Western Australia;
(viii) if yes to (vii):
(A) what is the rationale; and
(B) what would the potential long term impact and risk and cost be to the environment, public health and industry that operate in the coastal area of Western Australia;
(ix) what is the threshold or trigger point at which the Government would remove the nuclear fuel and radioactive fallout; and
(x) would the Government commit to completely removing the nuclear fuel and radioactive fallout;
(i) has there been any assessment or scenario planning in relation to the long term environmental, health and economic costs of a nuclear disaster by a visiting nuclear-powered warship or submarine;
(j) if yes to (i), will the Minister table the assessment and scenario planning;
(k) if no to (j), will the Minister describe what scenarios have been considered, if any, and what the remedies would be;
(l) in relation to the radiation monitoring conducted during the Astute class submarine visit:
(i) who conducted the monitoring;
(ii) who paid for the monitoring;
(iii) what types of radiation were monitored;
(iv) was there a threshold for levels of radiation which if met or exceeded, would trigger an action or response; and
(v) if yes to (iv), what actions or responses would be triggered
; and
(m) in relation to the meeting of the Nuclear-Powered Warship Visiting Ships Coordinating Committee held before the Astute class submarine visit:
(i) what evidence were committee members asked to provide to demonstrate their preparedness ahead of the visit; and
(ii) who attended that meeting?

Answered on 10 May 2022

The Western Australian Police advise:

(a)               Agencies involved were as follows. Please note some of these were consulted but not directly involved:

 

§  Visiting Ships Panel (Nuclear) (VSP(N))

§  Western Australian Police Force

§  Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA)

§  Australian Nuclear Safety and Technology Organisation (ANSTO)

§  Defence – Royal Australian Navy (RAN)

§  Defence – Joint Operations Support Staff (JOSS)

§  Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA

§  Department of Health WA

§  Bureau of Meteorology

§  State Emergency Management Committee WA

§  State Solicitor’s Office WA

§  US Consulate Perth

 (b)

(i)         Emergency measures are in place and consist of one or more of the following          responses:

§    Shelter in place

§    Evacuate

§    Administer stable iodine tablets.

(ii-vii)   The Western Australian Police Force is not responsible for these items, this question should be referred to the Minister for Health.

(viii)      The Western Australian Police Force is not responsible for this item, this question should be referred to the Federal Minister for Defence.

(ix)       Evacuations are managed by the WA Police Force in accordance with the State Hazard Plan. The evacuation plan set out in the State Nuclear Powered Warship (NPW) Visits Operational Plan will be implemented by the WA Police Force on the advice of the State Radiation Officer (SRO), Department of Health. Emergency procedures will be conducted in the event of one of the following circumstances arising:

§    the continuous radiation monitoring system indicates a radiation alarm; or

§    the NPW advises a radiation alarm.

A decision to evacuate the Urgent Protective Action Zone (UPZ) will be based on radiation data obtained from radiation monitoring units and assessed by the SRO and Leader Radiation Monitoring Group (LRMG). The SRO will advise the Police Commander of the protective measures that need to be implemented including evacuation. In the event of a radiation accident the first and most important response is for the vessel to depart as per the conditions of entry.

 (x)     Evacuation would be carried out as described in the State Operation Plan for NPW visits, chapter 8.2.7. The method and scope of evacuation is based on advice from SRO and LRMG and depends on a variety of factors.

(c)

(i)        There was no cost attached to the training. Costs incurred by agencies involved were borne by those agencies and not charged to other participants.

(ii)          As above.

 

(d - g)  The Western Australian Police Force is not responsible for these items, this question should be referred to the Federal Minister for Defence.

(h)

(i-ii)      The term ‘baseline’ is fully explained under ‘Maritime Boundary Definitions’ on the Geoscience Australia website, which also provides maps and charts showing the baseline around the coast of Australia.

(iii)      Towing operations would be carried out by RAN, who operate a fleet of vessels at HMAS Stirling, including tugs.                                 

(iv-x)    The Western Australian Police Force is not responsible for these items, this question should be referred to the Federal Minister for Defence.

 

(i-k)       The Western Australian Police Force is not responsible for these items, this question should be referred to the Federal Minister for Defence.

(l)          

(i)            Monitoring was coordinated and carried out jointly by representatives of ARPANSA and ANSTO with assistance from the Department of Health and RAN.

(ii-v)     The Western Australian Police Force is not responsible for these items, this question should be referred to the appropriate Federal Minister responsible for ARPANSA and ANSTO.

(m)

(i)           Members were asked to confirm their plans are in place and current and that any training or equipment plans are in place.

            (ii)         

§  WA Police Force

§  DFES

§  Fremantle Port Harbourmaster

§  Defence (RAN and JOSS)

§  VSP(N)

§  ARPANSA

§  ANSTO

§  Department of Health