Australia has advocated at a high political level since the 1980s for a ban on nuclear weapons tests and has continued to support the Treaty and the CTBTO, co‑chairing the Friends of the CTBT Ministerial process and leading the annual UNGA CTBT resolution. Australia brought the CTBT text into the UN General Assembly for endorsement in 1996.
The Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office (ASNO) co-ordinates Australia's practical contributions preparing for entry into force of the CTBT. Central to this is the hosting of 20 monitoring stations and a laboratory as part of the CTBT's International Monitoring System (IMS). These will form part of a network of over 300 facilities, which will monitor the globe for any evidence of explosive nuclear testing.
The Preparatory Commission for the CTBT Organization (CTBTO) was established in 1997 to manage preparations for entry into force of the CTBT. Australian experts have worked with the CTBTO since its creation to develop technical arrangements for the operation of the IMS and for the conduct of on-site inspections under the CTBT.
