RSUG Conference 2026: Bringing the Radiation Safety Community Together in Brisbane

The Radiation Safety User Group (RSUG) Conference 2026 brought the radiation safety community together at The Emporium Hotel, Brisbane, on Friday, 14 August for a full day of learning, discussion, professional connection and networking.

With the theme “Radiation Safety: Practice, Protection, and Performance,” the conference provided an opportunity for radiation safety professionals, regulators, suppliers and industry representatives to share knowledge and hear different perspectives from across the sector.

A Full Day of Radiation Safety Insights

The conference program covered an impressive range of topics, reflecting just how diverse radiation safety practice has become.

The day began with a welcome from RSUG President Kathy Lawrenson, followed by presentations exploring NORM, practical lessons from wireline logging operations and Australia's nuclear future.

Delegates also heard about radiation health and legislative developments, managing NORM risk, digital infrastructure for radiation safety management, e-radiation monitoring in uranium mining, instrumentation calibration and the fundamentals of radiation safety. The program included updates from the Australasian Radiation Protection Society and its Young Generation Network, before closing remarks and an evening networking session. It was a great mix of technical knowledge and practical experience, with plenty of opportunities for delegates to ask questions, exchange ideas and make new professional connections.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

An event like the RSUG Conference is made possible through the generous support of organisations within the radiation safety community, and RSUG sincerely thanks all of the 2026 conference sponsors.

Our Major Sponsors were Endress+Hauser, the Australasian Radiation Protection Society (ARPS) and Tellus.

A special thank you also goes to SIStec, our Refreshment Sponsor, whose support extended across the day's morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea breaks, and Safe Radiation for the WiFi!
We were also delighted to have the support of our General Sponsors: Yoyodyne Radiation Services, Radtronics, MES and Radiation Detection Systems (RDS).

The contribution of all our sponsors helps RSUG create an accessible, welcoming conference where professionals from across the radiation safety sector can come together to learn, share their experiences and strengthen industry connections.

More Than Just Presentations

One of the great strengths of the RSUG Conference is the opportunity to connect with others working in radiation safety.

Alongside the formal presentations and discussion sessions, delegates had time throughout the day to catch up with colleagues, meet new people and continue conversations over the catered breaks. The conference then moved into a networking drinks session from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, providing a relaxed finish to a busy day.

A big thank you to everyone who presented, attended, sponsored and supported the RSUG Conference 2026. Your participation and enthusiasm are what make the RSUG community such a valuable place for sharing radiation safety knowledge and experience.

We look forward to continuing the conversations, connections and collaboration—and to seeing everyone at the next RSUG event!

RSUG 2023 Conference

We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who attended the conference on February 17th at the Emporium Hotel in Brisbane. It was a great success, and we appreciate your participation in making it so.

The conference kicked off with a warm welcome from Kathy Lawrenson, the RSUG President, who provided updates on the group.

Following that, Riaz Akber from Safe Radiation spoke about the quality services provided by their laboratory and skilled team. Safe Radiation offers a wide range of services, including scientific analysis, calibration services, compliance assessment, site remediation, safety checks and assistance with approvals, and shielding solutions for facilities.

Robin Sheehy from Real Time Instruments provided a presentation on the Allscan n-Gen (PGNA) Analyser. PGNAA is a nuclear analytical technique that relies on activation of bulk materials transported on a conveyor belt by neutrons and the instantaneous emission of gamma rays from nuclei that have absorbed neutrons.

Robin described the safety and cost benefits of using a neutron generator over a sealed radioactive substance such as Cf252

Real Time Instruments is a leader in designing and building online analysers that measure the chemical composition, density, and moisture content of bulk materials in mining and other industries.

Ross Kleinschmidt from Qrad was unable to attend to present "Mineral Sand: who put that there?" but we were lucky enough to have Simon Critchley, Director of the Radiation Health Unit, provide a Health Protection department and Regulatory Update. Simon discussed the new features of the licensing portal and welcomed questions from the audience. He also discussed the Safety Act and penalties for non-compliance, and issues with inventory control and source tracking.

Annelize Van Rooyen provided an informative presentation on the Sandy Ridge Facility in Western Australia. Tellus is an innovative environmental services company that is cleaning up hazardous waste across Australia by developing and operating geological repositories. Its first geological repository, Sandy Ridge, is located in WA and is Australia’s first commercial geological repository. Please contact Annelize directly for a copy of the presentation: Annelize.VanRooyen@tellusholdings.com

Paula Veevers (Radiation Health and ARPS Exec) was unable to attend to present on the Australian Radiation Safety Society and the upcoming conference in late November (https://arpsconference.com.au), but it was provided by Philip Allanson (RSUG Secretary and ARPS Qld Co-Chair). Philip spoke about the benefits of becoming an ARPS member, and what the society does nationally, and internationally (join ARPS here:https://arps.org.au).

Associate Professor Tony Hooker from the University of Adelaide gave an excellent presentation on radiation and risk, the establishment of the Centre for Radiation Research Education and Innovation, the sectors it serves, and the science it produces through research and innovation. Tony spoke about the looming shortage of radiation expertise across all sectors and the lack of tertiary courses, which can be remedied by the Graduate Certificate in Radiation Management (https://www.adelaide.edu.au/degree-finder/gcrm_gcradmgt.html). There is a real demand for PhDs and Tony encourages all scientists to reach out for opportunities across multiple sectors.

Finally, Arif Syed from SIS Technologies provided an interesting presentation regarding Fixed Gauge Radiation Safety. SIS Technologies manufactures the SS200 Fixed Gauge and Arif gave an excellent presentation on the design of their solution, the industries they serve, and how they manage radiation safety to avoid radiation health, transport, security issues, and annual maintenance.

In addition to the informative presentations, attendees enjoyed a delicious business lunch midway through the day and finished the conference with canapes and beverages before retiring to the rooftop bar for further discussion and networking.

We would like to thank our sponsors, Tellus Holdings, Australian Radiation Protection Society, Real-Time Instruments, McKavanagh Engineering, and Safe Radiation for their support of the conference. Without their generous contributions, the RSUG and industry events would not be possible.

We hope you enjoyed the conference as much as we did, and we look forward to seeing you at future events.

Best regards,

The RSUG Team
Kathy Lawrenson (President)
Philip Allanson (Secretary)


Minutes for RSUG's 25th Anniversary Meeting

Thank you all for your attendance to this special occasion, and a big thank you to our fantastic presenters and valued sponsors!

Please find the meeting Minutes here.

Don't forget to keep up to date with the RSUG and your community through our new points of access below:

www.rsugqld.com.au
www.facebook.com/rsugqld
www.linkedin.com/groups/6955709
https://twitter.com/rsugqld
admin@rsugqld.com.au

Cheers,
Phil Allanson
RSUG Secretary

Preliminary Agenda for Feb 2018 Brisbane Meeting

Come to our first meeting for 2018 at the Pineapple Hotel in February by registering using the link here: https://goo.gl/forms/UWQtanj5k7CrmYjB3

Registration is free and we have an excellent agenda so far (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Cli-9nG3UhevKphijvJGaWWu-MH9Nka0/view?usp=sharing)   with room for one more presentation and several sponsor spots!

Contact Phil Allanson and Kathy Lawrenson at admin@rsugqld.com.au if you have any inquiries.

We look forward to seeing you again!

 

Announcement from Radiation Safety Users Group Queensland

QAL Hosting the next RSUG meeting!

We now have a confirmed date for the next RSUG meeting. QAL has generously offered to supply the venue in Gladstone. The date has been confirmed for Friday the 3rd of November 2017. Further information will be provided over the coming weeks. If anyone would like the opportunity to deliver a presentation on the day, please contact RSUG secretary, Philip Allanson,  or myself to discuss options and time slots available.

Sincerely,
Kathy Lawrenson
RSUG Qld President