Ben Morton (Tangney, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories, I present the committee's report entitled Maintaining Australia's national interests in Antarctica: inquiry into Australia's Antarctic Territory together with the minutes of proceedings.

It is with great pleasure that I rise today to speak about the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories inquiry report into Australia's Antarctic territory. Australians were some of the earliest explorers on the Antarctic continent, with our nation's involvement beginning in the late 1800s and continuing to the present day. Some of Australia's earliest Antarctic scientists, including Douglas Mawson, are synonymous with Australia exploration of the continent.

Mawson's station was opened in 1954 and became Australia's first permanent scientific research presence in Antarctica. The Australian Antarctic Program positions our nation amongst the world's most significant contributors on this continent. Australia's Antarctic territory covers 42 per cent of the entire Antarctic continent, with Australia maintaining three permanent research stations as well as a seasonal aerodrome to support our extensive research and national interests. Australia is an original signatory to the Antarctic treaty and is recognised as Antarctic leader. However, Australia's claim is only officially recognised by four nations—the United Kingdom, New Zealand, France and Norway.

In recent years, Australia's Antarctic territory has seen growing activity from other nations, including the establishment of Russian, Chinese, French and Italian facilities. These nations continue to invest strongly in their Antarctic infrastructure. Australia is also investing in its Antarctic infrastructure, securing our future contributions to Antarctic research and maintaining our role as a leader in Antarctic affairs. The committee recognises that continued involvement and investment in Antarctica is necessary for supporting Australia's national interests and continued leadership in Antarctica. Failure to invest will have significant negative effects on Australia's standing in Antarctica and our leadership role that we play.

Recently, the government has announced important investments in infrastructure that will significantly enhance Australia's scientific capabilities and capacity. In May, the government announced it would proceed with a paved runway to provide year-round access to the Davis research station. This is consistent with the committee's recommendation and demonstrates Australia's commitment to protect its long-term interests in Antarctica.

Australia is also investing in a new Antarctic ice breaker, which is due to arrive in Hobart in 2020. These investments will provide a more modern and efficient basis upon which Australia's international reputation in Antarctic science can continue to grow. In particular, these investments will provide improved capacity for international engagement and opportunities for Australia's Antarctic scientists to collaborate with their colleagues from other nations.

Another key opportunity identified in this report is the continued development of Hobart as an Antarctic hub, as a well-situated capital to capitalise on Australia's renewed Antarctic focus. A number of initiatives, including enhancements to aviation capability at Hobart Airport, a proposed Antarctic science hub and a potential development of Antarctic tourism, are valuable opportunities for Hobart and for Tasmania. The city's expanding Antarctic potential may also see increased engagement with other international Antarctic programs.

The committee's inquiry launched in June 2017 and received well-informed contributions from key stakeholders in Australia's Antarctic sector, including a number of Commonwealth and Tasmanian government agencies, the Antarctic Science community, academics and those developing infrastructure and other support services in Tasmania to meet the needs of the growing Antarctic sector. Members of the committee spent time in both Hobart and in Antarctica inspecting some of the key facilities of Australia's Antarctic operations. These visits provided the opportunity for the committee to better understand future investment and science investment needs.

The committee's report considers four key themes—Australia's leadership in governance with respect to Antarctic, the infrastructure and logistical support required to support the success of the Australian Antarctic Program, and Australia's world-class research in Antarctic science and the economic benefits—particularly for Tasmania—that can result from Australia's engagement in the continent. The report's 22 recommendations provide the government with an opportunity to strengthen its work with respect to Antarctica and build on already impressive foundations. In particular, the committee has recommended that the government consider the appointment of an Antarctic ambassador, that Australia's formal inspections under the treaty be increased and that the government capitalise on developments in the city of Hobart for the colocation of relevant Antarctic institutions.

I would like to thank the many contributors to the committee's inquiry, including those who made submissions and gave evidence at public hearings. I would like in particular to thank the staff of the Australian Antarctic Division in Hobart for their commitment to the Australian Antarctic Program and express the committee's appreciation for the open and professional manner in which they engaged in this inquiry. Thank you, finally, to my committee colleagues for their engagement with this inquiry: the secretariat, led by Peggy, Muz and Stephanie. I look forward to Australia's growing contributions to Antarctica over the coming years.

Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e).

Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Cyber Security and Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As deputy chair of the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories, I welcome the opportunity to speak on the report from the inquiry into Australia's Antarctic territory. Australia has a long and proud history of involvement in Antarctica, having significantly contributed to shaping the region both through the Antarctic Treaty System and on the ground. Australia's continued presence on the continent through science and infrastructure has enabled Australia to contribute to world-class research, to shape Antarctic governance and to protect our sovereignty and national interests in the region.

The Australian Antarctic strategy and 20-year action plan, released in 2014, committed Australia to building and maintaining strong and effective relationships with other nations subject to the Antarctic Treaty System. While the plan outlined an ambitious vision for Australia, what it lacked was that it needed to draw a thread between the strategic importance of Antarctica to Australia's foreign policy and who would take the lead on that body of work. As my colleague the member for Tangney has noted, the committee's report recommends that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade appoint an Antarctic ambassador to help further Australia's interest in Antarctica internationally. There is a precedent for appointing an ambassador to policy areas of strategic or international importance, or both. We have had ambassadors for the environment. We have had ambassadors in a range of different areas. Australia has appointed a cyberambassador who works to identify opportunities for practical international cooperation to ensure Australia has a coordinated, consistent and influential voice on international cyberissues. Given these precedents, the Antarctic ambassador's role will be more than symbolic; it will have an important job. It is a strategic appointment, just like the appointment of the cyberambassador, to promote Australia's Antarctic interests and capabilities on the international stage; it is focused entirely on doing that.

The number of nations showing an interest in Antarctica is increasing. This may lead to pressure in the future to change the established norms in the region to allow access to Antarctic mineral resources, which is currently banned under the treaty. As the political and strategic dynamics of Antarctica change over time, Australia will need strong leadership to ensure the treaty remains the best framework in the region. We need to send a strong message through strong leadership, and that can be demonstrated to our international partners by appointing an Antarctic ambassador. The Antarctic ambassador would be based in the Department of Foreign Affairs, in the same way as the cyberambassador, and lead a team whose focus is on the strategic importance of Antarctica to Australia. Another recommendation in the report is that an office of Antarctic services be created. The Antarctic ambassador, through the office of Antarctic services, would be responsible for promoting Australian scientific research on the international stage and promoting Hobart as Australia's science hub and gateway to Antarctica.

The committee's report also recommended supporting the work of Australia's Antarctic science community by assessing how Australia can retain and further develop its Antarctic science workforce. And they are a phenomenal workforce. Anyone who's had anything to do with the Antarctic Division, or had the wonderful privilege of going down there, has had firsthand experience of the expertise that we have in the science community in Antarctica. Another recommendation of the report was considering how the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre can continue operations beyond June 2019 and implementing a whole-of-government data management strategy.

Throughout the inquiry, and particularly during the visit to Hobart and Antarctica, I was impressed by the dedication and sense of pride that Australia's Antarctic community has for the work they are doing. They are incredibly proud of the work they do in terms of research, particularly on krill, which is absolutely world leading. The work they do on ice cores is also world leading. People come from Europe, America, Africa and Asia to see the work that's being done on krill and ice cores, as well as the other work being done by the Antarctic Division.

I want to thank all the contributors to the committee's inquiry, including those who made submissions, gave evidence at public hearings and provided the committee with private briefings. In particular, I'd like to give my thanks to the staff of the Australian Antarctic Division for their dedication and commitment to the Australian Antarctic Program, and I want to express the committee's appreciation for their assistance with this inquiry.