PM Transcripts

PRESS STATEMENT BY THE ACTING PRIME MINISTER
NUCLEAR FALL-OUT ON AUSTRALIA
The Acting Prime Minister Mr Barnard announced
today that the first fall-out in Australia from this year's
French nuclear testing programme had been detected at the
Laverton Air Filter Sampling Station near Melbourne. Mr
Barnard said that the detection of fall-out verified that recent
French nuclear testing was a clear breach of the ruling
of the world Court.
The fall-out is currently at low levels of concentration
detectable only by the more sensitive devices.
Samples from five other air sampling stations are now
being checked to see how widely the fall-out has been
distributed. The people of Australia could be assured that the
experts concerned with the Australian moni. toring programme
are watching fall-out 32vels closely and that the Government
would be kept fully informed.
Fall-out data as it becomes available is being passed
to the Australian Ionising Radiation Advisory Council, which
will advise the Government concerning the effects of fall-out
on the Australian population.
Mr Barnard said the Government would issue prompt advice
if it believed that any special dietary measures should be
taken against the effects of fall-out in milk.
Unless such advice is given, consumption of fresh milk
should not be discontinued.