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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
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Space Forum

Dr HARVEY (Newland) (14:09): My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier update the house—

The Hon. T.J. Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Primary Industries is called to order. Sorry, could you start again?

Dr HARVEY: My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier update the house about the South Australia Space Forum and the opportunities in the space industry?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:09): I thank the member for Newland for his question on the future of the space industry in South Australia. Today was a very important day for our state. I was very fortunate to be invited along to open the 6th South Australian Space Forum. I was joined by the member for Morphett, who has a very longstanding interest in this area and has been ably assisting me in the very important work that we have had to do to put in a compelling and competitive bid for the Australian Space Agency.

As I said, this was an important day for South Australia. There were plenty of very important people who were at that event, including Anthony Murfett, who is the Deputy Head of the Australian Space Agency; Michael Davis, who is the Chairman of the Space Industry Association of Australia; Caroline McMillen, who is the Chief Scientist for South Australia; Jim Whalley, who is the Chief Entrepreneur for South Australia; and, importantly, Mr Nicola Sasanelli, who is the Director of the South Australian Space Industry Centre and somebody who has been doing a huge amount of work advocating on behalf of this very important sector for our state.

I was overwhelmed by the number of registrations this year. Over 480 people registered for this event and I think this clearly demonstrates how much interest is building in the opportunity for this state and this nation around a space agency. Most people in this place would remember that last year the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) was held in South Australia, with every single agency from around the world coming here to South Australia. This was an audacious bid put in by Michael Davis and supported by the state government. I think it was an excellent opportunity to showcase the real interest we have here in South Australia in the future of this industry.

Importantly, at that event, the Hon. Simon Birmingham, federal cabinet minister, came to South Australia to announce that the federal government would be establishing a national space agency. That was followed up in the budget that was handed down by the Coalition earlier this year with $41 million put into—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —the budget. Dr Megan Clark, the former head of the CSIRO, was appointed as the inaugural head of the Space Agency. That was opened on 1 July and we have not wasted a single solitary second in advocating for a significant node to come to South Australia. I know that I am competing with all my colleagues around Australia. I would like the headquarters to come here. This will not be an easy task, but I think that we have the best offer because we have a great history in South Australia in terms of the Space Agency. We have great capability in terms of the Space Agency but, more than that, I think the government has a great ambition to bring jobs and investment and know-how to South Australia around this incredible opportunity.

I think one of the other benefits of bringing the Space Agency to South Australia, or a significant node, is the inspiration that it will provide for students in South Australia around STEM subjects going forward. In fact, I can't think of anything that would be more inspiring for kids at school to get involved studying their STEM subjects than having the National Space Agency based here in South Australia.

One of the themes that the federal government always talk about is that link with industry. I think we have excellent links with industry, and if they are going to have an industry-led space agency, then it needs to come to South Australia. Evidence of that is the very compelling bid that we put in for a cooperative research centre, which is going to be called the SmartSat CRC, to come to South Australia. That bid, which will be finalised on 7 February next year, is now up around $200 million. A big chunk of that is cash from the industry because industry are getting behind the incredible opportunity that space provides for our state.

The SPEAKER: Before I call the Leader of the Opposition, I call to order the member for Playford and the member for Lee.

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