The Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson AM MP, today thanked the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee for its inquiry into the Radioactive Waste Management Bill 2010 following Senate referral on 4 February 2010.

Minister Ferguson said the Committee’s report and its recommendations will now be properly considered and appropriately addressed by the Government.

"The Australian Government is absolutely committed to repealing the Howard Government's Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act 2005 and to introducing a new process to select and establish a facility to manage Australia’s radioactive waste this year," he said.

"Australia has been attempting to meet its international obligations to properly manage its own radioactive waste since 1988 and it is about time we did so."

Australia’s radioactive waste stockpile is presently stored at more than 100 less-than-ideal sites in universities, hospitals, offices and laboratories around the nation, mostly in our capital cities.

While safe, this situation is not consistent with international best practice.

Minister Ferguson said: "The Rudd Government legislation will finally provide a process to manage the waste generated by Australia's medical, industrial, agricultural, and research use of nuclear material.

"Australian research reactor waste is also presently stored in Scotland and France.

"We have both contractual obligations and a moral responsibility to accept the return of our own waste for proper management by 2015-16."

Australia’s low and intermediate level radioactive waste is an unavoidable result of very many worthwhile activities including the screening and treatment of cancer and other diseases, as well as medical research.

Every year, around 500,000 Australians undergo medical procedures using radioisotopes produced by the research reactor at Lucas Heights.