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Given that Australia had not undertaken a similar project since the 1950s, what guarantees were given that Australia had the level of expertise required to undertake the task?

There is considerable expertise at ANSTO.  Many ANSTO personnel who worked on the project of getting OPAL operational have had experience in the nuclear industry overseas.  The prime contractor - INVAP, obtained the expertise they needed for the project from the best sources available to it.  These included its own resources, two Australian companies that it teamed with: John Holland and Evans Deakin, as well as other sources within Australia and overseas, as were appropriate.