Dr KELLY (Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support and Parliamentary Secretary for Water) (9:19 AM) —I move:

The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, ANSTO, proposes to undertake at its Lucas Heights, New South Wales site the construction of a new Centre for Accelerator Science, an extension to the Bragg Institute and an extension to the OPAL reactor building. The proposed Centre for Accelerator Science will enhance Australia’s capability for the vital studies of climate and environmental science, nuclear safeguards and forensics, materials science, human history, medical physics and radiation physics.

In the 2008-09 budget the government allocated $25 million under the Education Investment Fund to establish the new Centre for Accelerator Science. ANSTO’s OPAL reactor’s neutron beam instruments are used by Australian and international researchers and industry in an extremely wide range of science. Given the increasing demand for the operational instruments and the impending addition of new neutron beam instruments, the Bragg Institute and the OPAL reactor building have reached capacity and require extensions. ANSTO proposes to construct and fit out additional offices and laboratories at the Bragg Institute to accommodate approximately 150 staff and students based at ANSTO, visitors and researchers.

ANSTO further proposes to construct and fit out additional offices, workshops and laboratories at the OPAL reactor building to support reactor operations. This project will also provide additional facilities and accommodation to optimise ANSTO’s ability to produce radioisotopes and irradiate silicon. The estimated out-turn cost of the proposal is $62.5 million including GST. Subject to parliamentary approval, construction will commence in November 2010 and be completed by September 2012. I commend the motion to the House.