Australian Space Agency

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (14:17): My question is to the Premier. Will the Premier update the house on Dr Andy Thomas's recent visit to the University of Adelaide and what action the government is taking to bid for Australia's national space agency?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:17): It was a great visit from Dr Andy Thomas, a great South Australian and one of our most distinguished South Australians who has really made our state very proud of his accomplishments on the international stage. It was a great pleasure when he came to South Australia, and I will tell you the reason why. It's because at the moment we are in a bidding process. We would like the national space agency to be located here in South Australia.

As I pointed out to this house last month, this is a competitive bidding process and plenty of other people now have found a dish in their backyard or maybe a bit of space junk and other premiers are all jumping into this race. They don't have anything like we have in South Australia—nothing like we have here in South Australia—because we have Dr Andy Thomas. Dr Andy Thomas, of course, who was a graduate of the University of Adelaide, came to South Australia. I was very pleased when he lent his support to the South Australian bid to establish the national space agency right here in South Australia and I will tell you what he said. He said to the media:

I am unashamedly pro SA. It's very logical to put the headquarters for such an agency here in South Australia.

He went on to say:

SA has a long history of participating in space. SA has a huge defence industry and defence and space go hand in hand—you can't have one without the other.

He is quite right. We do have a very strong defence sector in South Australia, and this is one area where I would like to applaud the former government for their insight and ambition to make sure that we were going to have a space industry here in South Australia.

Members of this parliament may realise that back in 2016 I visited NASA's Johnson Space Center in the US at the invitation of Dr Andy Thomas. I have had a longstanding interest in this area and I know that members opposite have had a longstanding interest in this area. It is really important that we work in a bipartisan way if we are going to secure this national space agency in South Australia.

I think it was a very proud moment for our state, last year, when the world International Astronautical Congress was held right here in South Australia, with every space agency from around the world represented here, at that congress—a very proud day for our state. So it's all systems go. As I have said previously to this parliament, I have spoken with the Prime Minister, I have spoken with the defence minister, I have spoken with the defence industry minister and I have also spoken with Michaelia Cash, the minister for science—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I would be very careful because she's making the decision. Senator Cash is doing a fine job, and she has an important responsibility to determine where the national space agency will be. As part of that consideration, sir, you will be interested to note that she has appointed Dr Megan Clark, the former chief executive of the CSIRO. Dr Megan Clark will be visiting South Australia next month. She will begin the process of making that evaluation. So it's all systems go. There only seems to be one little fly in the ointment, and that is the ALP. I want a space agency here in South Australia. We on this side—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —want the national space agency to be in South Australia.

Mr KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: The question is—

The SPEAKER: Point of order. The Premier will be seated for one moment.

Mr KOUTSANTONIS: The Premier is debating the question, sir.

The SPEAKER: The question was very clearly about an update on Dr Andy Thomas. It is not to be used for a partisan speech, so I do ask the Premier to —

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I do ask the Premier to respectfully return to the substance of the question, please. Premier.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Premier will be heard in silence.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I can read the question for you: what action the government is taking to bid for Australia's national space agency? I tell you, sir—

Mr KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, sir: did the Premier just read out a question that was given to him without notice?

The Hon. S.S. Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Is there a point of order? I think the Premier is wrapping up. Premier, would you like to wrap up, please.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I would like to, sir—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left! There have been two points of order. The Premier will wrap up shortly.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I would just like to say that it is important—

The SPEAKER: Premier, 15 seconds, please.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: It is very important that we do work in a bipartisan way to secure the national space agency, and I look forward to those opposite and the Leader of the Opposition joining with our bid for the national space agency and rejecting the Labor Party's plan to move the national space agency to Canberra.

The SPEAKER: Thank you, Premier. Yesterday, I did grant the member for West Torrens additional time in a grieve, I believe.

Mr Koutsantonis: In grievances, sir.

The SPEAKER: Yes, and I do have discretion to do that. I call on the Leader of the Opposition.