Minister
Administration of the legislation under which ASNO operates, the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation (Safeguards) Act 1987, the Chemical Weapons (Prohibition) Act 1994and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Act
1998, is the responsibility of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Alexander Downer MP.
Director General, ASNO
The position of Director General, ASNO,
incorporates the functions of Director of Safeguards, Director, Chemical
Weapons Convention Office, and Director, Australian Comprehensive Test-Ban
Office. ASNO was established on 31
August 1998the background to this is given in a media release of the same
date, see page 106.
Outline of Safeguards Role
ASNOs predecessor, the Australian
Safeguards Office was established in 1974. The position of Director of Safeguards was created in 1987 as a
statutory office, appointed by the Governor-General, in order to ensure the independence
and integrity of Australias domestic and bilateral safeguards
functions. The Director of Safeguards
reports directly to the responsible Minister, who since 1994 has been the
Minister for Foreign Affairs. The
legislation requires the Director of Safeguards to prepare an Annual Report for
presentation to Parliament.
Mr John Carlson was appointed as
Director of Safeguards in 1989 and as the Director General, ASNO, on 31 August
1998 when ASNO was established. Mr Carlson was re-appointed on 7 June 2000 for a further term of
three years.
Outline of CWC Role
The Chemical
Weapons (Prohibition) Act 1994 provides that the
Minister may designate a particular office within a Department or agency for
which the Minister is responsible, or a statutory office under legislation for
which the Minister is responsible, as the office whose occupant is the
Director, CWCO. On 11 March 1995 the
Minister for Foreign Affairs designated the office of Director of Safeguards
for this purpose.
The Director, CWCO, is required to prepare
an Annual Report for presentation to Parliament, and to date this has been
incorporated with the Annual Report of the Director of Safeguards.
Outline of CTBT Role
The Director, ACTBO, is likewise to be designated by the Minister under the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Act
1998. This Act will not commence until the CTBT
enters into forceat present the CTBT is in provisional operation. Therefore the Director, ACTBO cannot as yet
be formally designated. However, ASNO is already carrying out many of the tasks required of Australias CTBT national
authority and a report on these activities is included in this Report.