Chapter 3
the supervising scientist*
THE FOX REPORT
The Fox Commission was acutely conscious of what it described in its
second report as "the complex and sensitive nature of the [Alligator
Rivers] regional environment" (RUEI Report No 2, 1977, 293). It
continued: "Its protection during mining will depend critically
on the establishment of a carefully and competently designed monitoring
program and enforcement action based on information derived from it."
(RUEI Report No 2, 1977, 293)
Accordingly the Commission recommended a "comprehensive monitoring
program . . . both on and near the mine site and in parts of the Region
likely to be subjected to environmental change" (RUEI Report No
2, 331).
A subsequent recommendation proposed establishment of a Co-ordinating
Committee "to include representatives of all agencies involved
in the research and monitoring program, the mining companies, the national
park authorities and the Northern Land Council." The purpose of
this Committee was to "co-ordinate the formulation of environmental
control measures to be observed by Ranger and be the review body to
consider any major changes in Ranger's operating procedures" (recommendations
3 and 4, 331).
Standards and procedures formulated by the Co-ordinating Committee
were to be implemented by the supervising authority.
The "supervising authority" was provided for in recommendation
6 where it was proposed:
That a Supervising Scientist, having both administrative skills
and scientific expertise in a range of fields relevant to the task,
be appointed as soon as possible after a decision to approve mining.
He should be appointed to the Department of Environment, Housing and
Community Development and be directly responsible to the Minister for
Environment, Housing and Community Development.
That the Supervising Scientist should be Chairman of the proposed
Co-ordinating Committee and that his appointment as Supervising Scientist
be made before the establishment of the Committee.That the Supervising
Scientist exercise a supervisory and integrating role over all research
and monitoring programs agreed upon by the Co-ordinating Committee.
That the Supervising Scientist provide for public information an
annual report on the results of the monitoring program.
That the Supervising Scientist be legally empowered to require relevant
information from Ranger and the agencies participating in the research
and monitoring programs, and to inspect sites and operations. (RUEI
Report No 2, 1977, 332)
The report also proposed establishment of a research institute headed
by the Supervising Scientist to provide "a centre where research
and monitoring staff can work together" (RUEI Report No. 2, 1977,
recommendation 7, 332).
These proposals form the genesis of what is the office of the Supervising
Scientist. The office was subsequently given statutory embodiment in
the Environment Protection (Alligator Rivers Region) Act 1978.
Footnotes
* The Select Committee's terms of reference refer to the "Office
of the Supervising Scientist". For many years the Office of the Supervising
Scientist referred to the entire organisation supporting the Supervising
Scientist. Since 1994 it has essentially been a branch organisation reporting
to the Supervising Scientist but separate from the Environmental Research
Institute of the Supervising Scientist. The office of the Supervising
Scientist refers to the personal post referred to in the Environment
Protection (Alligator Rivers Region) Act 1978.