Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This month marks the conclusion of the fourth International Polar Year, an event where scientists from around the world come together to cooperate internationally and focus on studying and understanding scientific occurrences in the polar regions of the Arctic and the Antarctic. First held in 1882, the International Polar Year was the brainchild of Austrian explorer and naval officer Lieutenant Karl Weyprecht, who, through scientific endeavour, became aware that many solutions to the fundamental problems of meteorology and geophysics were most likely to be found near the Earth’s poles. As well as contributing to science and geographical exploration, the first International Polar Year event left a legacy of international scientific cooperation, as contributors from 12 countries completed some 15 expeditions to the poles—13 to the Arctic and two to the Antarctic.

In the current polar year, 27 countries have participated in the search for an understanding of polar processes and phenomena. The countries involved sought to make major advances in polar knowledge and understanding, whilst leaving a legacy of new or enhanced observational systems, facilities and infrastructure. Australia was one of the 27 participating countries in the event this year. However, we have had a long association with the polar region to our south. Australia’s involvement with the Antarctic goes back to the 18th century, when Australia depended on the sea for both trade and communications. Australia was very conscious of the vast, unexplored region to the south and inevitably became involved in Antarctic exploration as a result.

In 1788, from the very first days of colonisation, Australia participated in the sealing and whaling industries. After Australian waters became exhausted of whales, whalers were forced to venture further south. In 1831, the Hobart ship Venus travelled as far as 72 degrees south in search of whales. The ship’s return to Australia with a cargo of sperm whale oil encouraged others to follow suit, thus creating an interest in early geographic and scientific exploration of Antarctica.

It was not until after the first International Polar Year in 1882, however, that Australia finally became keen to develop research into the geological, meteorological and magnetic phenomena that occurs in the Antarctic. In 1886, the Australian Antarctic Exploration Committee was established to investigate the idea of constructing research stations in Antarctica, amongst other things. However it took until January of 1895, when a Norwegian expedition made the first landing on continental Antarctica and subsequently returned to Australia with rock and lichen specimens, before Australia finally realised there was an abundance of exploration opportunities to be had.

One of the earliest Antarctic expeditioners was Sir Douglas Mawson. Mawson was a great Australian—an engineer, eminent scientist, adventurer, conservationist and explorer. He is much admired by the people of South Australia, in particular, where he was Professor of Geology and Mineralogy at the University of Adelaide from 1921. In 1908 Mawson joined the British Antarctic Expedition led by Sir Ernest Shackleton. During that expedition the explorers struggled for over 100 days in unforgiving conditions searching for the south magnetic pole, which was located just over 100 years ago on 16 January 1909.

A second expedition was mounted by Mawson, the Australian Antarctic Expedition, and sailed in 1911. On this expedition Mawson established three bases, organised a vast program of geological and marine research and nearly died when an accident caused loss of supplies and forced Mawson and his colleague, Mertz, to eat their dogs to survive. In 1929 Mawson led another expedition which had a combined crew from Australia, the UK and New Zealand. This expedition not only produced another mass of scientific results but also defined what was later to become known as the Australian Antarctic Territory.

I note that tomorrow the Parliamentary Antarctic Alliance will present a briefing to MPs and senators here at Parliament House on the conservation works being undertaken at Mawson’s Huts at Cape Denison. This is an important historic site of national and international significance and well worthy of the support of all senators and members. Mawson’s activities were fundamental to Australia’s territorial claims to Antarctica and to Australia’s modern Antarctic program.

Australia signed the Antarctic Treaty in 1959 along with other nations that had a vested interest in the continent. Through the treaty the countries involved agreed to consult with each other on the uses of the continent and agreed that it should not become the site or object of international discord, and should be used for peaceful and harmonious purposes. Amongst other points, the treaty recognised that it is in the interest of all persons for Antarctica to continue to be used for peaceful purposes, whilst acknowledging the substantial amount of knowledge resulting from international cooperation in scientific investigations on the continent. Since its inception, the Antarctic Treaty has been recognised as one of the most successful ever international agreements.

Australia has played a big part in the history of Antarctica and we continue to work there as our scientists investigate the impacts of climate change on the continent. As Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Environment, Communications and the Arts, I was very fortunate to experience Antarctica for myself in January this year. I leapt at the chance to become an expeditioner of the Antarctic, to see this iconic place and to find out a great deal more about Australia’s involvement with the Antarctic region.

Prior to flying to Antarctica, I and the other parliamentary expeditioners spend a day at the Australian Antarctic Division in Kingston in Hobart, Tasmania, where we were given comprehensive briefings about Australia’s scientific programs and the work of the Antarctic Division, including its cooperative research programs with other institutions and government agencies and with other countries. I was particularly taken with the work of Dr Steve Nicol and his team, who have a keen interest in krill, a tiny organism integral to the world’s biological health and which is studied closely at the division to ascertain the effect of events on marine life and the environment. It was quite something to see the only krill nursery in the world and to learn about the reproductive habits of this vital organism.

After the day at Kingston, I and my fellow parliamentary expeditioners—senators Simon Birmingham and David Bushby; Mr Jim Turnour, the member for Leichhardt; and Dr Mal Washer, member for Moore—were kitted out for the trip south and joined the real expeditioners for a 4½ hour flight, during which we donned our Antarctic survival clothing, We landed at Wilkins runway, a runway constructed wholly out of blue glacial ice with a compressed snow pavement. This is an amazing and inspiring engineering feat that has enabled easier and safer access for real expeditioners from Australia and other nations who are working in Antarctica.

While the scenery was spectacular, just as impressive was the range of projects being undertaken by a cohort of very committed and dedicated scientists, researchers and support crew in Antarctica. I learnt a great deal about the research being undertaken there. Most importantly, I was able to find out firsthand about the effects that climate change is having on the icy continent and the impacts which will ultimately reverberate worldwide. Talking to Dr Ian Allison, a program leader within the ice, oceans, atmosphere and climate sectors of the Australian Antarctic Division, I heard of the devastating effects that climate change may have on our nation and the rest of the world. It is predicted that, by the year 2100, rising sea levels, most likely caused by the melting of non-polar glaciers, icesheets and icecaps, will impact many millions of people around the world. These icecaps are melting due to both past and predicted future greenhouse gas emissions—human actions worldwide which severely impact the life of our planet. We are now living in a world where our climate, and ultimately our future, is being substantially modified by human activity.

A major focus of Australia’s Antarctic icesheet research which is being undertaken is situated at the Lambert Glacier basin. At the Amery Ice Shelf, where the Lambert Glacier meets the sea, scientists have found that ice near the base of the iceshelf is porous and infiltrated with sea water. This has resulted in the iceshelf becoming more vulnerable to highly rapid melting, which will in turn contribute to a rise in sea levels. This is just one of the numerous iceshelfs across Antarctica which is melting away due to the grim effects of climate change.

Sea level rise is one of the many significant, long-term impacts of climate change. I knew that was the case before I went to Antarctica; however, being there brings it home to you. It also highlights the importance of Australia taking urgent action to mitigate our carbon emissions. I congratulate all the scientists in the Antarctic, who have been there for more than 100 years.