Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment Participation and Childcare) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to inform the House of the exciting work being done by Vipac Engineers and Scientists, who just happen to be located in the good electorate of Adelaide. I recently visited the facilities of Vipac in Kent Town. They are in a building I would have travelled past many, many times over the years, none the wiser about what was actually taking place behind those walls.

Behind those walls, Vipac is a high-technology engineering consultancy engaged in a range of business areas, including rail, defence, infrastructure and space. One of the exciting potential projects that I was briefed on during my visit was the Greenhouse Gas Monitor project. This project seeks to develop a suite of instruments to remotely measure concentrations of CO2, and other gases, in the atmosphere. Technology with the ability to accurately measure levels of CO2, and other gases, in our atmosphere has never existed before. The development of this technology represents an incredible opportunity not only for the nation but also for our local community, as it holds numerous benefits.

This initiative will establish Australia at the forefront of the global debate on climate change. It will do this by positioning Australia internationally as a major contributor to the understanding of greenhouse gas effects upon climate change; fostering the world's best research, attracting international recognition and collaboration on all major climate-monitoring programs; and    providing the tools to determine the establishment of carbon reduction strategies around the world through evidence based measurements of carbon.

Of course, this technology would complement our government's plan to introduce a price on carbon, because the ability to accurately measure carbon emissions in our atmosphere will be critical to government, industry and the community in transitioning through this vital economic reform. It is for this reason that I fully supported Vipac's application for federal funding, acknowledging just how important the development of this technology would be to all of our plans to take action on climate change.

It is with great pleasure that I can inform the House that Vipac were successful in receiving some $2.3 million as part of the Australian Space Research Program. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Vipac on receiving this funding, which will mean that our local community, our researchers, our industry and our students will play a key role in addressing the problem of climate change. I would also like to thank the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator the Hon. Kim Carr, and his department for working collaboratively with Vipac on the development of this proposal and for funding this initiative.

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