A WA parliamentary question seeks details on the state's emergency management plans for nuclear incidents, including warship visits and potential detonations. The response provides some information and redirects some questions to other ministers.

AnsweredQoN 982Legislative Council
Asked
17 September 2014
Portfolio
Police

QuestionView source ↗

NUCLEAR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN
982. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the Attorney General representing the Minister
for Police :
(1) Will the minister please table the
current nuclear-powered warship visits emergency management plan?
(2) Does this include an evacuation plan for
workers and residents near Fremantle port in the event of a nuclear reactor
incident?
(3) What is the
emergency response plan in the event of a nuclear detonation?
(4) Which healthcare facilities are assumed
to function and what staff would be available to provide triage care in the
event of a nuclear detonation or other nuclear incident?
(5) In cases of nuclear detonation or
incident, which body and which officer is responsible for the overall
coordination of civil disaster relief?
(6) What federal organisation/s does the
state of Western Australia liaise with in terms of nuclear emergencies?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice of this question, which I
answer on behalf of the Minister for Police.
(1) Yes. I table the attached document.
[See paper 1893.]
(2) Yes.
(3) Nuclear
detonation is not a defined hazard prescribed within the Emergency Management
Act 2005. The state emergency management arrangements allow for a controlling
agency to be appointed for any hazard not prescribed in the act.
(4) This question should be referred to the Minister for
Health for a response.
(5) This
question should be referred to the Minister for Emergency Services, State
Emergency Management Committee secretariat, for a response.
(6) Western
Australia liaises with the following commonwealth agencies in relation to
planning for nuclear emergencies: commanding officer, HMAS Stirling , Royal Australian Navy; port services manager, HMAS Stirling , Royal Australian Navy;
Department of Defence, Joint Operations Support Staff; commonwealth
Attorney-General's Department, Emergency Management Australia;
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency; Australian Nuclear
Science and Technology Organisation; chairman, Visiting Ships Panel (Nuclear);
Bureau of Meteorology, Perth; commonwealth Department of Infrastructure and
Regional Development; and commonwealth Department of Health.

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