Melissa McIntosh (Lindsay, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that the Government has recognised the value of Australia's growing space sector by including space as one of the six national priority manufacturing sectors in the $1.5 billion Modern Manufacturing Strategy;

(2) welcomes the Government's goal of tripling the space industry by 2030 to $12 billion;

(3) congratulates the new head of the Australian Space Agency, Mr Enrico Palermo on his appointment and notes his significant industry and corporate experience in the sector;

(4) commends the Government for enabling Australian businesses to become part of the international space supply chain and have a role in NASA's Moon to Mars mission; and

(5) further welcomes the release of the Space Sector Industry Road Map and the opening of grants for this sector under the Modern Manufacturing Initiative's Translation and Integration streams.

The vision of Apollo 11 on the Moon inspired a generation. The eagle landed and Neil Armstrong etched his words and his boot print into the history books, but without Australia the world would have been deprived of witnessing one of the most incredible testaments to the human spirit. The talented, hardworking and pioneering Australians at the Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station, less than an hour's drive from our parliament, beamed the first eight minutes of the Moon landing footage to millions of people around the world, absolutely transfixed on what they were seeing. A young Andy Thomas, a university student at the time, was enthralled and inspired by the footage. In his own words, he 'couldn't imagine doing anything more exciting'. As we know, Dr Andy Thomas AO went on to undertake four NASA space missions.

Australia played a pivotal role in this tremendous milestone in space. Now, with Morrison government's support, we will continue to be at the forefront of this emerging and new space industry that will create and sustain Australian jobs and inspire the next generation. We have a plan to triple the size of Australia's space industry by 2030, growing it to $12 billion and creating up to another 20,000 new jobs. This will provide opportunities in all sectors of the space industry, from advanced manufacturing to research. The Morrison government's Modern Manufacturing Initiative is focusing on building our sovereign manufacturing capability in six priority areas. These areas of competitive advantage or strategic importance to Australia include space.

Not only is the space industry a pioneer of scientific and technological advancements; it brings industries like manufacturing along with it to create and sustain more jobs. The Morrison government is investing $150 billion to back Australian businesses in joining NASA's endeavours to do exactly that, creating local jobs at the forefront of the next great advancement in space. This is an extraordinary opportunity not just to open up new and exciting opportunities for Australian businesses to be a part of but also to build on our close cooperation with our friend and ally the United States. As the chair of the parliamentary friends of the United States, I'm proud that we are investing in the relationship between the Australian Space Agency and NASA. It is crucial that we continue to strengthen our key partnerships with our allies in the emerging industries and strategic dimensions.

Australian businesses are poised to make the most of the close cooperation between the Australian Space Agency and NASA through groundbreaking operations that hold tremendous job-creating potential. One of these is the Moon to Mars initiative. As NASA puts it, this is a mission that prepares for humanity's next great leap, sending astronauts to Mars. For Australian businesses, this five-year program means increasing access to international supply chains, providing the support they need to develop and launch products that add to Australia's capability in space and ensuring Australia plays a key role in NASA's return to the moon and journey onto Mars. This is part of our plan to integrate Australian businesses into the space supply chain and continue to play a leading role in pioneering space missions. Under the leadership of the head of the Australian Space Agency, I can't wait to see the leaps and bounds we take as a space-faring nation.

Since establishing the Australian Space Agency in 2018 we've committed over $700 million to grow the civil space sector. In this year's budget we are going further to support the Australian Space Agency's capabilities, and we are creating detailed road maps to outline the future of the space industry, making sure it delivers the best outcomes for Australia and ensuring we create and sustain local jobs. I am so excited about this and particularly excited about the opportunities in my electorate of Lindsay.

The space industry is one that truly moves the dial on what is possible. I have always believed that together—and this is another example of this—we can do everything. Developing Australia's space industry, one that supports tens of thousands of jobs, is something we should absolutely be aiming for, and I want to see more businesses in Western Sydney playing an active and integral role in the supply chains, turning Australia's courage and ingenuity into products that can lead the world in the next great missions, like NASA's Moon to Mars. Best of all, it's about our kids and the excitement they have for space in the future.

See this speech in context