Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak about funding for the Australian Antarctic Division. Recently, certain media outlets have reported that the federal government is reducing the operating budget of the Australian Antarctic Division for the next financial year. Egged on by both the Greens and the Liberal Party—that amazing new coalition!—this assertion of funding cuts at the hand of the federal government is completely false. Let me be clear on this: there has been no reduction in the AAD's operational funding whatsoever.

For the benefit of Senator Duniam, who seems a bit confused on this, I will explain. The $25 million in question was never part of the funding allocation for the next financial year to begin with. As the Australian Antarctic Division itself has explained, the $25 million difference in funding from the previous years is due to the cessation of a temporary budget measure relating to commissioning of Australia's newest icebreaker, the RSV Nuyina. In other words, the $25 million shortfall reported in the media is simply a reflection of the Antarctic Division's internal management of its own budget and not as a result of any funding cuts from the Albanese government.

The Greens, in their eternal pursuit of cheap political thrills, are more than happy to stretch things even further. A quick look at the website reveals their completely wrong assertion that these alleged funding cuts, which actually don't exist, were the results of a decision by the Albanese government that simply never took place. They go on to say that this is somehow an attack on science. Well, they only need to look at their good friends the Liberals and conspiracy theories peddled on that side to see what an attack on science actually looks like. The truth is that this government is committed to continuing its support for the world-class research carried out by the AAD— (Time expired)