Ross Hart (Bass, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I second the motion. I am very pleased to rise in this chamber to support this motion moved by my good friend the member for Braddon. The Australian Maritime College is Australia's peak maritime research and training organisation. It is primarily based within my electorate of Bass, although it has other facilities at Beauty Point within the electorate of Lyons.

Members will be aware that, in the 2016 federal election, both parties supported the University of Tasmania's transformation project with the effect of facilitating the move of the northern campuses of the University of Tasmania at Burnie and Newnham. The move of the campus in Launceston from Newnham to Inveresk will transform the potential for thousands of Tasmanian students to undertake further education, driving greater educational attainment through more students undertaking trades and higher education, including associate degrees. The relocation of the Launceston campus to Inveresk creates significant potential for innovative uses of the old campus. That is enhanced by the fact that the Australian Maritime College will remain at Newnham.

The Australian Maritime College has a proud history of working with industry across the many disciplines it leads, both in research and in training. It undertakes significant research with respect to renewable energy, including facilitating design and testing of both wave and tidal power generation.

At a recent visit to the Australian Maritime College with shadow assistant minister Pat Conroy, the member for Shortland, we inspected the Australian Maritime College's extensive cavitation testing facility. This facility is world leading. Its expertise already has defence potential, given that it has undertaken testing for Australian defence projects but also for, amongst others, the United States Navy.

It has particular expertise in the design of unmanned robotic vehicles, otherwise known as autonomous underwater vehicles. These vehicles are already a key tool in underwater exploration. There are obvious applications in defence, given that such vehicles are not subject to the limitations associated with the carriage of crew. Remote sensing is already a particular expertise developed by the University of Tasmania, particularly in agriculture. This research capability and the Maritime College's close connection with industry can facilitate the development of an industry hub in Launceston, particularly in the fabrication of these vehicles.

Launceston has access to Australia's fastest broadband internet. Developments in manufacturing, including the use of 3D printing, assume that a design, even a complex design, can be transmitted to a 3D printer for manufacture. Engineering and architecture, indeed any process which utilises CAD software, are significantly enhanced by access to gigabit internet. Currently there is no better place in Australia to leverage the investment in fibre internet and access to world-beating research, development and training than in Launceston, Tasmania.

We know that there is still a future for manufacturing in Australia, providing that manufacturers identify an area where expertise and skills are overriding considerations, rather than high-volume production. We also know that investment in defence contracting fulfils the object of supporting advanced manufacturing. There are many components required in complex systems, whether what is being manufactured is a submarine, a surface vessel or a land based vehicle.

The government has spoken on many occasions about the potential for businesses within Australia to participate in the significant investments required to deliver these projects. I have previously spoken in this place about the necessity for training, in particular trades training, associated with shipbuilding in South Australia. The AMC should play a key role in the establishment of any maritime technical college in South Australia. The AMC is not just a research institution. It is not just an institution of higher learning. It has a proud history in training for trades including those associated with shipping and defence. Clearly, investment in advanced manufacture will be enhanced by close proximity to an institution like the AMC. This will particularly be the case given that vocational training, associate degrees and higher degrees including engineering are available within close proximity to the Newnham campus.

There are already success stories in advanced manufacturing within my electorate of Bass and also within Northern Tasmania. I have previously spoken about the expertise which is being developed with respect to remote sensing. The Sense-T project focused on remote sensing. It also led, quite remarkably, to establishment within Launceston of a specialised advanced manufacturing business, which is Definium Technologies. This business manufactures circuit boards of its own design and on a contract basis. It has particular expertise in the manufacture of sensors and control systems. It is also at the forefront of developing long-range, low-power wireless network applications. There is so much potential within Northern Tasmania which can be realised by further investment, as sought by this motion.

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