Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Hansard source

Well, I've spoken to the CPSU, Senator Chandler. But there are no job cuts. In fact, more people will gain full-time employment. I can hear the cheers from the other side! What happened here is that there was significant funding for the commissioning of a world-class Antarctic science ship. The money dedicated to the Nuyina has been spent—and I'm sure Senator Duniam has seen the ship docked in Hobart. Tasmanians know the sad truth is that, under the former coalition government, Australia's Antarctic program was irresponsibly managed, and, as a result, since the election of the Albanese government we've had two separate inquiries into the program in less than a year, both of which were into cultural issues occurring within the division.

This government's priority when it comes to the Antarctic Division—I'm glad to let Senator Duniam and all those that are interested in this MPI and the Antarctic Division know—comes down to two things: (1) supporting critical science and (2) supporting permanent, good jobs in Tasmania. Labor has always valued and properly funded scientific research and, particular to this matter of public importance, Antarctic research. Since the election of Bob Hawke, Australia has been a global leader on the Antarctic, ensuring that all Antarctic activities remain consistent with the principles of peace, science and environmental protection. Our world-leading scientific work in the Antarctic enables us to better understand the world around us and has provided us insights into climate science that can be gleaned nowhere else.

The government has given clear assurances—and I give them again today—that there are no cuts to the $804 million budget for the Antarctic Division. The government has also been given assurances by the Australian Antarctic Division that there is no plan for redundancies. In fact, a number of contractors are being transitioned into secure, permanent jobs, and the critical, world-leading science will continue. The work is essential work. While the Liberals and Nationals are still over there on the opposition benches, unable to reach a unanimous decision that climate change is real, the government is getting on with the job. I hope that so far Senator Duniam's concern has been alleviated. If the former government were still in power, the Australian Antarctic Division would be millions of dollars worse off, having faced a reduction in funding in the year 2022-23. That is information from the former government's own budget papers, which show a funding cut of $33 million from the years 2021-22 to 2022-23. The budget papers give black-and-white evidence that under our government funding over the coming years is higher than funding for every year under the coalition's last budget. Further, in 2022-23 the Australian government spent over $32 million delivering Antarctic science, which is a $3 million increase on the prior year. The Liberals spent nine years in government undermining Australia's scientific research capacity all to avoid the inconvenient truth that the planet is warming. (Time expired)