Summary

The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) is Australia's national nuclear research and development organisation and is the centre of Australian nuclear expertise. This expertise is applied to radiopharmaceutical production, research into areas of national priority including health, materials engineering, and water resource management and to helping Australian industries solve complex problems. ANSTO also provides expert advice to Government on all matters regarding nuclear science, technology, and engineering.

ANSTO operates landmark national scientific facilities, including the Open Pool Australian Light-water multipurpose reactor (OPAL), Australia's only nuclear research reactor, and the Australian Synchrotron, for the benefit of industry, the Australian research community, and all Australians.

Abolition

Creation

The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) formed on 27 April 1987 is a continuation of the body corporate formerly known as the Australian Atomic Energy Commission (AAEC) (1).

The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation Act (No 3 of 1987) (the Act) provides a new direction for the agency. It shifts the focus of research away from work on the nuclear fuel cycle, and in particular power generation, which was the basis of the AAEC's original charter, and towards other peaceful and socially beneficial uses of radionuclides.

In particular ANSTO will concentrate on radiation and radioisotope applications in the medical, industrial, agricultural and scientific fields, and will operate in a more outward-looking and commercially oriented manner than the AAEC (2). ANSTO is allowed to undertake non-nuclear research and is prohibited from undertaking any research into nuclear weapons or nuclear explosives (3).

Functions and activities

At its formation ANSTO's major objectives were stated as:

• To ensure that the benefits of peaceful nuclear technology are made available to Australian industry and the community;
  
• To monitor and assess nuclear developments worldwide and provide advice to the government and the community on these developments;
  
• To contribute to international programs in nuclear science and technology (4).

It has four major activities designed to achieve these objectives: 

• Research and development with emphasis on:
         - Environmental science, particularly relating to uranium mining, hydrology, erosion and sedimentation;
         - Waste management, including the Synroc process for immobilisation of highly radioactive waste;
         - Medical and industrial applications of radioisotopes and radiation;
         - Nuclear technology including safeguards research and reliability and risk analysis;
• Provision of products and services related to ANSTO's activities;
• Operation of national nuclear facilities, including the research reactors 'HIFAR' and 'MOATA'.
• Promotion of training and dissemination of information on all aspects of nuclear science and technology (5).

The work of ANSTO is directly relevant to the Australian Government’s National Science Priorities and provides a direct benefit to the nation in terms of its economic performance, favourable health outcomes and in contributing to the nuclear workforce of the future.

Leveraging research infrastructure, ANSTO uses nuclear science and technology to develop strategic national and international partnerships to undertake high-quality research. This research provides real-world benefits whilst addressing national priorities, informing government policy and boosting industry engagement.

Research impacts are delivered in four key areas:

Environment — where their ability to measure isotopes in the field informs climate change management and provides the tools to help administer Australia’s groundwater resources.

Health — where ANSTO’s unique ability to make radioisotopes and understand radiobiology allows them to improve health outcomes through improved diagnostics and treatment of disease.

Nuclear technologies — where materials and modelling science informs better use of Australia’s OPAL research reactor and is driving ANSTO’s world-leading Synroc nuclear waste management technology, and where ANSTO’s expertise in minerals processing, nuclear forensics and detector technologies is supporting Australian national interests and industry.

Additional public benefits driven with ANSTO’s capability —staff utilise research infrastructure to deliver benefits including the development of life saving medicines now on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, conservation of Indigenous heritage, building better batteries, improving polymer manufacturing and testing for contaminants in food packaging.

Legislation administered

ANSTO is subject to the provisions of various Commonwealth Acts, Regulations made under these various Acts and Commonwealth Awards. The principal Act is the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation Act 1987 (ANSTO Act) which details the organisation's functions, powers, Board, Chief Executive Officer's duties, staffing, finance and other roles and responsibilities. 

Administrative structure

ANSTO is a corporate Commonwealth entity within the Industry, Science and Resources portfolio. From 1 July 2023 and as of 30 June 2024, the Minister with responsibility for ANSTO was the Hon Ed Husic MP, Minister for Industry and Science.

Under the ANSTO Act and the PGPA Act, ANSTO’s responsible Minister and the Finance Minister may provide the ANSTO Board with Directions with respect to the performance of the functions or the exercise of the powers of the Board or the organisation. The ANSTO Board is comprised of at least five and upt o eight part-time, non-executive members drawn from the broader community and ANSTO's full-time CEO. As of 30 June 2024, there were seven part-time non-executive members in addition to the CEO. All non-executive members are appointed by the Governor-General. Under the ANSTO Act, the CEO is appointed by the ANSTO Board. As a significant appointment, Cabinet endorsement is also required for the CEO position

The CEO is accountable for managing the affairs of the organisation in accordance with the strategy, plans and policies approved by the Board, as well as any Board Directions. The CEO is supported by the Executive Team. As a team and through their individual roles, the Executive leads, directs, coordinates and controls ANSTO’s operations and performance.

The Executive is supported by key input committees and expert forums, including the Capital Committee, which makes decisions regarding the prioritisation and allocation of capital funding to projects to ensure their efficient delivery, and the Work, Health, Safety and Environment Committee, which is responsible for providing oversight and direction of ANSTO’s safety and environment strategies, initiatives, incident management processes, targets and reporting. 

The ANSTO Senior Leadership review and agree on issues and actions with organisation-wide significance.

Collectively the ANSTO Senior Leadership:

• Develop and deliver ANSTO’s Corporate Plan, strategic objectives and business plan actions
• Lead ANSTO’s Integrated Business Planning and Quality culture
• Discuss stakeholder, customer/collaborator and Board issues
• Approve recommended policies and processes for mandated implementation across ANSTO
• Address organisational issues
• Drive ANSTO’s priorities
• Own ANSTO’s strategic initiatives.

Historical agency address

The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation has locations based at both Lucas Heights, NSW and Clayton, Vic.

State/regional structure

Records created by the agency

Additional information

The establishment and structure of ANSTO, to date, remain basically the same as that of the AAEC immediately before the change, with only minor changes, except as provided for in s.25 of the Act (see below).

This structure is considered interim while permanent objectives, a corporate management plan and program budgeting are formulated and endorsed. When this is done ANSTO's structure will be tailored to more accurately reflect the new thrust of its operations (7).

Section 25 of the Act provides for the formation of a Nuclear Safety Bureau within ANSTO (8). This Bureau is responsible directly to the minister for monitoring and reviewing the safety of any nuclear plant operated by ANSTO (9).

The board of ANSTO may assign other functions to the Bureau and it is responsible to the board for such functions (10).

End notes

Sources

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