EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Statutory Rules 1985 No. 68
CUSTOMS (PROHIBITED EXPORTS) REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)
Issued by the Authority of the Minister of State for Industry, Technology and Commerce
Regulation 11 of the Customs (Prohibited Exports) Regulations provides that the exportation from Australia of the goods specified in the Ninth Schedule to the Regulations is prohibited unless the approval of the Minister for Trade or of an authorised officer is produced to the Collector.
The purpose of the attached regulation is to amend the Ninth Schedule to the Regulations to provide additional export controls over certain components and materials for gas centrifuge enrichment and reprocessing plants.
Australia, like most other industrial countries, has export controls regulating its international nuclear trade. This amendment to the Ninth Schedule reflects the Government’s commitment to an effective non-proliferation regime.
The export control is effected by amending the Ninth Schedule to the Regulations to:
• omit Item 4A and substitute a new Item 4A that specifies equipment specially designed or prepared for the manufacture or assembly of the rotating components of gas centrifuges for the enrichment of uranium by the use of gaseous uranium hexafluoride;
• omit Item 15A and substitute a new Item 15A that defines certain materials specially designed or prepared for the construction of rotating components of gas centrifuges;
• omit Item 18A and substitute a new Item 18A that specifies plant and equipment especially designed or prepared for the fabrication or reprocessing of fuel elements for nuclear reactors;
• amend paragraph 18C(2)(d) to include auxiliary equipment for use in connection with gas centrifuge separation units;
• amend paragraph 18C (2)(k) to include aluminium alloys; and
• alter the specification of valves in paragraph 23(a), from 3 millimetres to 5 millimetres.