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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2017-11-28 Daily Xml
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Space Industry Forum

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (14:47): My question is to the Minister for Science and Information Economy. Can the minister inform the chamber about the fourth South Australian Space Industry Forum, which was held in Adelaide last week?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (14:48): I thank the honourable member for his question and his ongoing interest in the area of space and the emerging economic opportunities. I was fortunate to speak at the opening of the forum. I noted the Hon. Justin Hanson attending not just the opening but also delivering the closing address. I suspect he probably attended every session during the whole day of this forum held last week.

Last week, global space players touched down in South Australia for an exceptionally important space forum. The forum is a biannual event that facilitates collaboration in the space sector between academics, entrepreneurs, industry associations, government and key international space players. The forum, held at the Adelaide Convention Centre, included a full day of talks and presentations from local and international space organisations, including speakers from such organisations as Planet, CSIRO, the United Arab Emirates Space Agency, Korean company APSI, Italian space company SITAEL and New Zealand's Centre for Space Science Technology.

It was also a good opportunity for key international space players to connect with some of South Australia's most innovative start-ups and companies at the largest ever space forum that we have held. It was an opportunity to talk about the important industry that is rapidly gaining momentum in South Australia and across Australia. Our state is a trailblazer in Australia when it comes to this industry so it is little wonder that we had around 250 representatives attend this forum. We had one of the very first space industries in our part of the world, and in years gone by developed a significant space economy.

This will stand us in good stead for when the new and recently announced national space agency is developed, as we have an industry that is ready to step up and lead our nation's contribution in the space area. The South Australian government is collaborating with the ACT and the NT to achieve a unified voice. We are a state with a long history in the space field: from the very first rocket launch at Woomera in 1957 to Australia's first satellite launch in 1967—which had us as only the third nation to launch a satellite from their own territory after the US and Russia during the Cold War period, during which Woomera had the second highest rate of rocket launches in the world, second only to NASA at Cape Canaveral—right through to the current decade where Woomera is still being used for research and activities in this area.

We are not just a state with a strong past in the space industry; we are a state with a highly competent and strong future as well. Very recently, Adelaide hosted one of the most successful international astronautical congresses ever held. It put South Australia in the international spotlight and fostered collaboration opportunities between international agencies, universities, primes and start-ups. The outcomes of the congress will no doubt lead to increased innovation, investment and jobs across the sector. It is estimated that there are currently around 800 people employed in some form in the space sector in South Australia, and we are keen to significantly grow this number.

The opportunities are almost limitless, from upstream engineering and science projects involved in space operations, through to downstream activities related to the use and commercialisation of data and images obtained from satellites. South Australia is perfectly placed to lead this emerging industry in this country and to be a key industry hub that is integral to the success of the industry here. Our state is home to a highly developed and capable ecosystem which is rapidly expanding and thriving. More than two-thirds of our space companies were established since 2000 and I am informed that of these almost half have been founded in the last five years.

In the past seven years, the number of South Australian companies involved in this area has tripled. I am informed that there are 32 companies now in operation, in addition to a further 30 organisations, from education and research institutions, private consultancies and state and federal government departments, that are involved in the local space industry. I understand there are about 34 start-up companies involved in space-related projects nationally, and one-third of these are based in South Australia. This number is set to increase, with support from the South Australian government's $4 million Space Innovation Fund. There will be incubator and accelerator programs for entrepreneurs and start-up space businesses, and applications, I am informed, will be open in February next year.

The Space Industry Association of Australia has more members based in SA than any other state or territory. The space industry has been and particularly going forward will be vital as part of the transformation of our economy to a high-growth, high-value economy that includes research and advanced manufacturing. It was pleasing to see at the recent jobs expos around South Australia, many young people considering careers that may lead them into the space industry. Supporting students to explore and pursue pathways in science, technology, engineering and maths is a high priority.

We recently announced, and it was publicly announced at the space forum, the recipients of five scholarships to participate in the Southern Hemisphere Space Studies Program next January. I want to congratulate the recipients, Jade Chantrell, Edward Cronin, Jack Hooper, Hamish McPhee and Keith Wright, who will undertake an intensive multidisciplinary program for space organised by the University of South Australia and the International Space University. I look forward to this developing industry and the potential that it has for industry and employment in this state.

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