Motion (by Senator Bolkus) agreed to:

That, with regard to the current shipment of highly radioactive mixed oxide fuel that will travel past Australia's southern coast through the Tasman Sea on route to Japan, the Senate:

(a) notes:

(i) that this may be the first of many such shipments of highly radioactive nuclear fuel or waste which may take this route,

(ii) that there is no prior notification as to the route these shipments take,

(iii) that there is a lack of an adequate liability and compensation regime in the event of an accident involving such shipments, and

(iv) the strong concern of New Zealand and other South Pacific countries regarding these shipments through the Tasman Sea and the South Pacific;

(b) deplores the Australian Government's effective endorsement of these highly radioactive shipments and its active discouragement of South Pacific countries from pursuing this issue; and

(c) calls on the Australian Government to:

(i) revoke its endorsement of shipments of highly radioactive nuclear material through the Tasman Sea and South Pacific,

(ii) initiate a comprehensive and open scientific study of the potential environmental risks of these shipments,

(iii) press the governments of Japan, France and the United Kingdom to enter into negotiations with potentially-affected countries to establish an effective system of prior notification and a comprehensive liability regime to cover shipments of highly radioactive material, and

(iv) join with New Zealand and other South Pacific countries in registering strong concern about these shipments at the Thirtieth South Pacific Forum, to be held in Palau in October 1999.