Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to support the motion put forward by my colleague the member for McPherson to recognise the outstanding efforts of those involved in the international Square Kilometre Array project. We know this is as the SKA project. Amongst other things, it will see the world's largest telescope built in the Murchison, which is sited in the remote heart of my electorate of Durack in Western Australia.

The project has recently seen the CSIRO's Pathfinder telescope, known as ASKAP, successfully trialled in the Murchison. The ASKAP is a world leading radio telescope, designed, built and operated by the CSIRO. The ASKAP is a precursor to the world's largest telescope, the SKA, which is yet to be built. The technology being developed for the project will continue to evolve and shall have applications far beyond radioastronomy. This megaproject shall have a life of its own over many decades and is only possible with full and committed international cooperation, which has been led by SKA Director Professor Brian Boyle.

The project places a global scientific spotlight on Australia, Western Australia, the Murchison and the broader area known as Australia's Mid West. Towns, businesses, developers and entrepreneurs throughout the Mid West are applauding the benefits that they anticipate will flow from the project, including scientific, research, economic and social benefits. Many are making plans to capitalise on emerging opportunities.

There is a group of miners, developers and government agencies with investments and/or interest in the Mid West that I would like to recognise for their ongoing and very costly efforts in an endeavour to achieve coexistence with the SKA project. You will not be surprised that the SKA project does require radio science. This, of course, is a challenge for iron ore mine operators, trains and transport, not to forget mobile telecommunications. This group of miners, agencies and investors seek to facilitate the SKA moving forward but without unsustainable impacts on other industries and, in particular, on resources and infrastructure projects, which can bring so many economic and social benefits to our nation, the Murchison, the Mid West and Durack more broadly.

There are enormous deposits of iron ore—magnetite and hematite—in the Mid West, as well as a variety of other minerals. The WA Department of Mines and Petroleum data highlight that within a 100-kilometre radius of the SKA and the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory there are 154 mining tenements, with a further 603 tenements within a radius of 100 to 150 kilometres. There is significant potential for projects within these tenements to be adversely impacted by the SKA project's 'radio quiet zone', creating a barrier to investment. This is unnecessary and unwanted.

The 2011 memorandum of understanding between the Australian government and the Western Australian government on radio quiet matters concluded with an agreement to develop strategies on the coexistence of radioastronomy and other economic development. A proactive approach on coexistence is necessary to ensure all parties clearly understand their roles and responsibilities and a system is in place to give practical effect to the coexistence outlined in the 2011 MOU.

The Chamber of Minerals and Energy considers the establishment of strong partnerships and mutually beneficial solutions as key to the coexistence of the SKA and other stakeholders. The chamber supports the efforts of state and federal government departments to work with both industry and the CSIRO to develop clarity for those within the coexistence zone. If the efforts of the government departments fail to deliver certainty for industry stakeholders and do not give appropriate effect to the coexistence principles, CME supports the development of alternative arrangements to address the issue, such as regulation or legislation. These alternative arrangements would also contemplate compensation where coexistence cannot be reached.

Some of the entities with interests, investments and/or stranded investment in the Mid West include major mining project proponents such as Mitsubishi, which holds the interest in the Jack Hills project—an ex-employer of mine—and Sinosteel Midwest, which has the Weld Range and the Dead Goat Hill projects. I believe the development of the Mid West would be best achieved through a balance between radioastronomy and continued industry growth. This will result in a diversified economy which delivers investment attractiveness and certainty.

Realising effective and sustainable industry coexistence in the Mid West will require a true partnership approach across all levels of government, local industry and the scientific community. I am very pleased to support the motion put forward by my friend the member for McPherson.

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