IAEA Board of Governors
Agenda Item 3: Nuclear and radiation safety: Nuclear Safety Review 2025
3 March 2025
Statement by H.E Ambassador Ian Biggs, Governor and Resident Representative of Australia to the IAEA
Thank you, Chair.
Australia welcomes the Director General’s Nuclear Safety Review 2025.
Chair,
Australia acknowledges the IAEA’s nuclear safety priorities and welcomes the Agency’s comprehensive efforts to strengthen radiation and nuclear safety, including conducting ongoing reviews and revisions of existing standards.
Australia continues to uphold and promote the IAEA’s safety priorities particularly across South‑East Asia and the Pacific, where Australia has worked collaboratively and cooperatively with governments to support the development of stronger radiation and nuclear safety standards and practices. Over the past year, many of Australia’s experts have travelled across South-East Asia and the Pacific to support IAEA workshops and regional programs and participate in regional reviews which reinforce the Agency’s safety priorities.
Chair,
Australia is gravely concerned at the risks to nuclear safety and security created by Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. Australia commends the IAEA’s leadership and ongoing activities in Ukraine including the Agency’s regular communication and information sharing regarding the challenging situation.
Chair,
Australia welcomes the Agency’s comprehensive revision of existing standards and the establishment of several new standards. Australia acknowledges the importance of continuing to monitor emerging challenges that may affect nuclear safety. In this regard, Australia remains fully committed to strengthening our domestic safety standards in line with this work.
Chair,
Australia commends the Agency’s efforts to assist Member States to strengthen leadership and management capabilities, including in fostering and sustaining a strong nuclear safety culture. Australia has actively taken steps to update and develop national frameworks for nuclear safety and will host several IAEA training courses such as the International School on Nuclear and Radiological Leadership for Safety, to build visibility and awareness of this important issue.
Australia’s support for the IAEA’s leadership, culture and management safety priorities coincides with a broader commitment to assisting Member States in our region - Asia and the Pacific - in developing a strong safety culture and appropriate regulatory frameworks through the Regulatory Infrastructure Development Program (RIDP). Australia will continue to support the IAEA to develop and build capacity in Member States to ensure high standards of nuclear safety can be upheld, especially in regions where additional resources and ongoing support are required.
Finally Chair,
Australia supports the critical role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in relation to the discharge of ALPS-treated water by Japan from Fukushima and has full confidence in its independent, impartial, and science-based technical advice. We welcome Japan’s and the IAEA’s transparency and international engagement and their long-term commitment to ongoing monitoring until the discharge is complete.
With these comments, Australia is pleased to take note of the Nuclear Safety Review 2025.
Thank you.