Strong motivation within the British government and military led to nuclear testing in Australia, particularly at Maralinga and Emu Plains in South Australia and the Monte Bello Islands off the west coast of Australia during the 1950s and 1960s. The purpose of these tests was to provide needed information for the British government on nuclear weapons and the effects of their use, yet the other real consequences of these tests were not to be learned until years later.

Since the rise of nuclear weapons and their use in World War II the superpowers of the world, for instance USA, France, Russia and Britain have raced to develop their own nuclear weapons programs. In racing to develop these programs the governments and their military forces needed information on the tests. Simply:

"Many of these tests are of the highest importance to departments, since on their results depend on the...