LIMITS TO PARLIAMENTARY SCRUTINY

In reporting on international matters and, in particular, the effectiveness of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Committee has had to rely on submissions, including a joint submission from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Australian Safeguards Office (S 60).

Export is the sole purpose of mining and milling in Australia. Moreover, much of the argument about the wisdom of doing so concerns the handling of nuclear materials abroad, including administration of safeguards. A key institution is the International Atomic Energy Agency.

As parliamentary committees do not travel overseas, the Committee was unable to examine the international dimension directly, either in terms of facilities where Australian-obligated nuclear material is processed or used, or the role of the IAEA.

The Committee is thus only able to report to the Senate on the international aspects of the terms of reference on the basis of submissions and examination of the authors at public hearings, as referred to in this chapter.

With increasing globalisation of Australian life, especially economic life, it would be advantageous to reconsider the forms, boundaries and reach of parliamentary scrutiny of issues.

The Committee recommends that the Procedure Committee examine the implications of globalisation for parliamentary scrutiny of government, administration and public policy.