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About Us
The Supervising Scientist Division is part of the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. The position of Supervising Scientist was established in the Commonwealth Environment Protection (Alligator Rivers Region) Act 1978, following the Australian Government's decision to approve uranium mining at Ranger, to meet the need for an independent supervisory body to ensure that the environment of the Alligator Rivers Region was protected from the potential impacts of uranium mining activities.
The statutory position of Supervising Scientist is held by Mr Alan Hughes.
The Supervising Scientist undertakes environmental research and reviews the environmental performance of uranium mines in the Alligator Rivers Region in the Northern Territory to ensure the protection of Kakadu National Park from the potential impacts of uranium mining.
The Supervising Scientist provides technical and policy advice to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts on a wide range of scientific matters and mining-related environmental issues of national importance, including; radiological matters and tropical wetlands conservation and management. The Supervising Scientist also conducts more broadly based environmental research on issues of national significance.
We have two facilities: a research/laboratory facility in Darwin where most of the eriss and oss staff are based, and a Field Station at Jabiru, in Kakadu National Park, where we conduct an environmental monitoring program.
More information about the Supervising Scientist is available in:
Reporting to the Supervising Scientist are the Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist (eriss) and the Office of the Supervising Scientist (oss).
The SSD organisational chart shows the overall structure of the Supervising Scientist Division.
The SSD functions chart shows the functions carried out by the Supervising Scientist Division.
The primary role of eriss is to undertake independent monitoring and research into the impact of uranium mining activities in the Alligators Rivers region (which incorporates Kakadu National Park) to protect human and ecosystem health, and to provide advice to the Supervising Scientist. eriss also conducts research on tropical river systems and the ecology and conservation of tropical wetlands with a focus on the sustainable use of water resources.
The position of ERISS Branch Head is held by Dr David Jones.
These functions are carried out by the following five ERISS program areas:
eriss research and monitoring functions are grouped under the following functional streams:
The SSD functions chart shows the functions carried out by the Supervising Scientist Division, including the ERISS research and monitoring functions.
The Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist (eriss) provides advice, based on research and monitoring, to the Supervising Scientist and other stakeholders on standards, practices and procedures to protect the environment from the effects of mining, particularly uranium mining in the Alligator Rivers Region. The research has provided a basis for very good performance in environmental management within the region and has found wider applicability for the assessment of environmental impacts from mining in high conservation areas.Increasingly it has directed attention towards active involvement of local people in its work programs as part of greater attention being directed towards consultation and communication.
A major initiative has been the establishment of a National Centre for Tropical Wetland Research as a collaborative venture between eriss, Charles Darwin University, James Cook University and the University of Western Australia.
More information about environmental research and monitoring of uranium mining is available through the following link:
The Office of the Supervising Scientist (oss) is the other part of the Supervising Scientist Division. oss provides supervision, audit, policy and business support functions.
The position of Assistant Secretary, OSS, is held by Richard McAllister.
The Office of the Supervising Scientist (oss) conducts periodic environmental audits and technical reviews of uranium mining operations, as well as continuous assessment of the environmental monitoring data arising from programs undertaken by mining companies, the Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines http://www.minerals.nt.gov.au/ and the outcomes of eriss research.
Mining activities in the region routinely assessed by the oss include uranium exploration campaigns and day-to-day operations at the Ranger and Jabiluka projects. oss is also involved in the planning and assessment of rehabilitation works at former mines. oss also provides advice to other parts of the Department of the Water Resources, the Minister for the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, and to members of the public on radiation, radiological protection and nuclear issues.
More information about supervision of uranium mining is available through the following link:
More information about Business Support services is available from the Business Manager and through the following link:
The Environment Protection (Alligator Rivers Region) Act 1978, Section 24B, permits the Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist (eriss) to undertake, on a commercial basis, research on environmental matters for other persons. eriss may undertake research in so far as it is appropriate for the research to be performed by eriss on behalf of the Australian Government. eriss will not undertake commercial work where there is a perceived or actual conflict with its statutory role.
The Alligator Rivers Region (ARR) is centred about 220 km east of Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia. Comprising an area of about 28,000 sq km, it includes the catchments of the West, South and East Alligator Rivers, extending east into Arnhem Land and south into the Gimbat and Goodparla pastoral leases. The leases were resumed by the Commonwealth and incorporated into Stage 3 of Kakadu National Park in 1987.
Wholly enclosed within the ARR is the World Heritage listed Kakadu National Park. Extensive Ramsar-listed wetlands, more than 40,000 years of continuous human habitation through to present-day Aboriginal traditional society, prolific rock art, outstanding diversity of flora, fauna and landscape, and expansive areas of pristine wilderness, underline the natural richness of this region.
The ARR is also high in uranium mineralisation. Many small uranium deposits were mined during the 50s and 60s in the South Alligator Valley. Ranger mine is currently the only operational uranium mine in the ARR, Nabarlek mine is under rehabilitation and the Jabiluka Lease is currently under Long Term Care and Maintenance following an agreement between the mining company and traditional owners.