1998
Extract from the Executive summary
This National Profile has been prepared to assess Australia's national infrastructure for the management of chemicals. It has been based on information gathered from government, as well as from the industry, community groups and research bodies. Because it is the first such profile to be prepared, the main emphasis has been on explaining Australia's infrastructure from the national perspective, although some information on the role played by State and Territory governments has also been included.
The profile has addressed a number of key questions, as indicated below. One dominant theme to emerge from examining these issues is that Australia's chemical management infrastructure has undergone considerable change and innovation over the last decade. The changes reflect priorities identified by governments, particularly in relation to more consistent national approaches, avoidance of duplication and enhanced protection for workers, the public and the environment. Many of the key laws for administering chemicals have only been enacted within the past decade.