About the Supervising Scientist Division

Find out more about SSD

The Supervising Scientist Division is part of the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. The Division is headed by the Supervising Scientist, a statutory position established under the Commonwealth Environment Protection (Alligator Rivers Region) Act 1978.

Supervising Scientist

The position of Supervising Scientist for the Alligator Rivers Region was established 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 is protected from the potential impacts of uranium mining activities. The position of Supervising Scientist is currently held by Mr Alan Hughes.

The key functions of the Supervising Scientist include:

undertaking environmental research and reviews of the environmental performance of uranium mines in the Alligator Rivers Region in the Northern Territory to ensure the Region’s environment, including Kakadu National Park remains protected from the potential impacts of uranium mining;
provision of technical and policy advice to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities on a wide range of scientific matters and mining-related environmental issues of national importance, including; radiological matters and tropical wetlands conservation and management; and
conducting more broadly based environmental research on issues of national significance.

Further information about the Supervising Scientist and the work of the Division is available in:

The Division maintains 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, which supports the Division's environmental monitoring program.

Office of the Supervising Scientist

The Office of the Supervising Scientist (OSS) undertakes a range of supervision, audit, policy and business support functions.

The position of Assistant Secretary, OSS, is held by Richard McAllister.

The OSS undertakes a range of functions including:

periodic environmental audits and technical reviews of uranium mining operations, including exploration activities;
assessment of data from environmental monitoring undertaken by mining companies and the Northern Territory Department of Resources , and the outcomes of scientific research undertaken by the Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist;
assisting with planning for, and assessment of, rehabilitation works at former mines; and
provision of technical and policy advice to other Divisions within the Department, other Commonwealth and Northern Territory government agencies and the general public on a range of issues related to the impact of uranium mining on the environment and human health.

More information about the environmental supervision of uranium mining is available through the following link:

Supervision and assessment of uranium mining

More information about Business Support services is available from the Business Manager and through the following link:

Supervising Scientist services

Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist

The Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist (ERISS) undertakes independent scientific research and monitoring into the impact of uranium mining on the environment of the Alligators Rivers Region (which incorporates Kakadu National Park). 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 Head, ERISS is held by Dr David Jones.

ERISS comprises five key program areas: