Rowan Ramsey (Grey, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology. Yesterday marked the 50th anniversary of man's landing on the moon—something I'm a little reluctant to say I remember well! Can the minister outline how the government's investment in the Australian Space Agency will benefit Australians and create new jobs?

Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. I do acknowledge that Woomera, which is in his electorate of Grey, is where Australia launched its first satellite from just over 50 years ago—52 years ago, in fact. So I do thank him for his question and acknowledge the long relationship that Australia has had with the space sector.

Clearly, the moon landing was such a significant moment, not just for Australia and the United States but around the world. It was responsible for inspiring so many people, and many of us have our own stories to tell. I too watched the moon landing. I sat there with my sister, and we both watched the first steps of Neil Armstrong on the moon. And can I say, as an engineer now, that not only did I want to be on that spaceship; I wanted to build it. So it inspired not only me but many other people to go on and study science, technology, engineering and maths, and we know how important that is for the jobs of the future.

In Australia, we already have a fair-sized space industry. It's worth about $3.9 billion to the Australian economy and employs about 10,000 people. The coalition government is committed to growing the space industry in Australia to $12 billion and an additional 20,000 jobs by 2030.

Julian Hill (Bruce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Space cadets!

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Bruce can leave under 94(a).

Mr Hill interjecting—

The member for Bruce can leave under 94(a) or I'll name him.

The member for Bruce then left the chamber.

Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Importantly, space is not just about launch. Space impacts us all every single day. Australian farmers use space capability to monitor the health of their crops. Emergency workers track the progress of bushfires. Scientists study the impacts and the effects of drought. We all know how important it is for our farmers that we use every available resource to help them in this particularly difficult experience and time that they have. So we on this side of the House are committed to growing the space industry so that we are developing more jobs for scientists, for engineers, for technicians and for tradespeople. We want to make sure that our young people have opportunities that they never would have thought of 50 years ago for the jobs of the future. Let me say this: space has long been called the final frontier, but under the Morrison government space is the new jobs frontier.