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This is a Bill, not an Act. For current law, see the Acts databases.


NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE (PROHIBITION) AMENDMENT BILL 2003

                       Western Australia


      Nuclear Waste Storage (Prohibition)
             Amendment Bill 2003

                          CONTENTS

1.     Short title                                          1
2.     Commencement                                         2
3.     The Act amended                                      2
4.     Long title amended                                   2
5.     Section 1 amended                                    2
6.     Section 3 amended                                    2
7.     Section 4 amended                                    4
8.     Section 5 amended                                    4
9.     Section 7 amended                                    4
10.    Section 7A inserted                                  5
11.    Section 8 amended                                    5
12.    Section 8A inserted                                  6
13.    Consequential amendment to the Nuclear Activities
       Regulation Act 1978                                  7
14.    Consequential amendment to the Radiation Safety
       Act 1975                                             7




                            220--1                          page i
                           Western Australia


                      LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY



         Nuclear Waste Storage (Prohibition)
                Amendment Bill 2003


                               A Bill for


An Act to amend the Nuclear Waste Storage (Prohibition) Act 1999.



The Parliament of Western Australia enacts as follows:


1.      Short title
        This Act may be cited as the Nuclear Waste Storage
        (Prohibition) Amendment Act 2003.




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     Nuclear Waste Storage (Prohibition) Amendment Bill 2003



     s. 2




     2.         Commencement
                This Act comes into operation on the day on which it receives
                the Royal Assent.

     3.         The Act amended
5               The amendments in this Act, other than in sections 13 and 14,
                are to the Nuclear Waste Storage (Prohibition) Act 1999*.
                [* Act No. 54 of 1999.]

     4.         Long title amended
                The long title is amended by deleting "or disposal" and inserting
10              instead --
                "   , disposal or transportation   ".

     5.         Section 1 amended
                Section 1 is amended by inserting after "Storage" --
                "   and Transportation    ".

15   6.         Section 3 amended
          (1)   Section 3 is amended by inserting before "In this Act" the
                subsection designation "(1)".
          (2)   Section 3 is amended by inserting the following definitions in
                the appropriate alphabetical positions --
20              "
                      "nuclear plant" means a nuclear reactor, a
                         radioisotope enrichment plant involved in the
                         enrichment of uranium or plutonium, a nuclear
                         reprocessing plant or a nuclear weapons facility,
25                       whether or not it is in a place to which this Act
                         applies;



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                      Nuclear Waste Storage (Prohibition) Amendment Bill 2003



                                                                                s. 6



                     "person" includes, without limiting the Interpretation
                         Act 1984, the Crown in all its capacities;
                                                                                 ".
     (3)       Section 3 is amended by deleting the definition of "nuclear
5              waste" and inserting instead --
               "
                     "nuclear waste" means material --
                        (a) that is or contains a radioactive substance;
                               and
10                      (b) that --
                              (i) is waste of a nuclear plant; or
                             (ii) results from the testing, use or
                                   decommissioning of nuclear weapons,
                        whether or not that material has been conditioned
15                      or reprocessed;
                                                                                 ".
     (4)       Section 3 is amended by deleting the definition of "Radiological
               Council".
     (5)       At the end of section 3 the following subsections are inserted --
20         "
               (2)   For the purposes of the definition of "nuclear waste",
                     waste of a nuclear plant does not include waste that
                     results from the use of the products of a nuclear plant.
               (3)   For the purposes of this Act, a person transports
25                   nuclear waste in the State whether or not the origin or
                     destination of the waste is a place to which this Act
                     applies.
                                                                                 ".




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     Nuclear Waste Storage (Prohibition) Amendment Bill 2003



     s. 7



     7.         Section 4 amended
                Section 4 is amended as follows:
                 (a)    by deleting "State or" and inserting instead --
                        " State, ";
5                (b)    by inserting after "waste" in the second place where it
                        occurs --
                        " and the transportation in this State of nuclear waste ".

     8.         Section 5 amended
                Section 5(2) is repealed and the following subsection is inserted
10              instead --
            "
                (2)    An authorisation within the meaning of section 41A of
                       the Radiation Safety Act 1975 that has been granted or
                       effected with the consent of both Houses of Parliament
15                     in accordance with that section has effect according to
                       its terms.
                                                                                  ".

     9.         Section 7 amended
                After section 7(2) the following subsections are inserted --
20          "
                (3)    Subsection (1) does not apply if the construction or
                       operation, or the use of the place --
                         (i) results from an emergency situation; and
                        (ii) is for the purpose of preventing danger to
25                             human life or health, or irreversible damage to
                               the environment, arising from that situation.
                (4)    Proceedings for a contravention of subsection (1) are to
                       be dealt with by a court constituted by a magistrate.
                                                                                  ".



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                          Nuclear Waste Storage (Prohibition) Amendment Bill 2003



                                                                                s. 10



     10.         Section 7A inserted
                 After section 7 the following section is inserted --
     "
             7A.        Prohibition against transporting nuclear waste
5                (1)    A person shall not transport nuclear waste in the State.
                 (2)    A person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an
                        offence.
                        Penalty: $500 000.
                 (3)    Subsection (1) does not apply if the transport is carried
10                      out in an emergency situation to prevent danger to
                        human life or health or irreversible damage to the
                        environment.
                 (4)    Proceedings for a contravention of subsection (1) are to
                        be dealt with by a court constituted by a magistrate.
15                                                                                  ".

     11.         Section 8 amended
           (1)   Section 8(1) is amended as follows:
                   (a) by deleting "7" in the first place where it occurs and
                        inserting instead --
20                      " 7 or 7A ";
                  (b) by deleting "section 7" in the second place where it
                        occurs and inserting instead --
                        " the section ".
           (2)   Section 8(2) and (3) are amended by deleting "7" and inserting
25               instead --
                 "     7 or 7A ".




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     Nuclear Waste Storage (Prohibition) Amendment Bill 2003



     s. 12



     12.       Section 8A inserted
               After section 8 the following section is inserted --
     "
             8A.     Injunctions
5              (1)   The Minister may apply to a court (including the
                     Supreme Court) for an injunction to prevent a person
                     from doing anything that would involve --
                       (a) the construction or operation of a nuclear waste
                            storage facility in the State;
10                     (b) the use of any place in the State for the storage
                            or disposal of nuclear waste;
                       (c) the transport of nuclear waste in the State,
                     or that would facilitate or provide assistance in relation
                     to any of those matters.
15             (2)   It is not necessary for the Minister to prove that the act
                     or failure sought to be prevented by the injunction has
                     previously occurred or would, if the injunction were
                     not granted, be likely to occur or continue.
               (3)   An interim injunction may be granted before final
20                   determination of an application under subsection (1).
               (4)   The court is not to require, as a condition of granting
                     an interim injunction, that an undertaking be given as
                     to damages or costs.
               (5)   The taking of proceedings against any person for an
25                   offence under this Act is not affected by --
                       (a) the making of an application under
                            subsection (1) for an injunction;
                       (b) the grant or refusal of an injunction upon an
                            application under subsection (1); or




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                        Nuclear Waste Storage (Prohibition) Amendment Bill 2003



                                                                               s. 13



                        (c)   the rescission, variation, or expiry of an
                              injunction granted upon an application under
                              subsection (1).
                                                                                  ".

5    13.         Consequential amendment to the Nuclear Activities
                 Regulation Act 1978
           (1)   The amendment in this section is to the Nuclear Activities
                 Regulation Act 1978*.
                 [* Act No. 104 of 1978.
10                  For subsequent amendments see Western Australian
                    Legislation Information Tables for 2002, Table 1, p. 267.]
           (2)   Section 5(2) is amended by inserting after "Storage" --
                 "   and Transportation   ".

     14.         Consequential amendment to the Radiation Safety Act 1975
15         (1)   The amendment in this section is to the Radiation Safety
                 Act 1975*.
                 [* Reprinted as at 25 February 2000.
                    For subsequent amendments see Act No. 9 of 2003.]
           (2)   Section 41A(1) is amended in the definition of "nuclear waste"
20               by inserting after "Storage" --
                 "   and Transportation   ".




 


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