Andrew Willcox (Dawson, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing and Sovereign Capability) Share this | Hansard source

I'd like to thank the member for Durack for raising this vital topic. As member for Dawson and shadow assistant minister for manufacturing and sovereign capability, I have a special interest in Australia's space sector and our sovereign space industry. Recently, the eyes of the nation were on the skies above my hometown of Bowen, where on 30 July a historic event took place. Gilmour Space launched their first test flight rocket, Eris 1, the first Australian-designed, Australian-built and Australian-launched low-Earth-orbit rocket. This was a proud moment for the Australian space sector. It was a proud moment for the local communities of Dawson and, indeed, our country. For the first time, we saw a sovereign launch capability take place right here on our home soil. Families across North Queensland watched on any device they could. I watched it on my phone in the middle of a hall here at Parliament House. It was a major milestone in our national journey to the stars. While the rocket didn't reach low Earth orbit, it successfully lifted off—a major feat for its first launch. More importantly, it delivered critical data that will feed into future launches and support eventual commercial operations. This was far from a failure. It was a bold first step and a giant leap forward for our country's space endeavours.

The Gilmour brothers, James and Adam, who I'm proud to say are good friends of mine, are visionaries. Their work is already inspiring the next generation. Kids in Dawson are now talking about becoming space engineers, scientists and even astronauts. There is now a credible pathway into aerospace for Australian kids. It's not just to be dreamers; they can be doers. The Bowen Orbital Spaceport is strategically located at 20 degrees south and is set to become a national asset. Once Gilmour reaches orbit—and they will—they will send satellites and potentially even crewed missions into space. It could be so much more if only the current government shared the same vision.

The former coalition government laid the foundations for Australia's space future. The coalition established the Australian Space Agency in 2018, investing over $2 billion in the civil space sector, with 20,000 jobs on the horizon by 2030. The coalition backed research and development, including the establishment of SmartSat CRC to focus on telecommunications and next-gen technologies, to support Australian businesses and to participate in NASA's Artemis program. The coalition recognised space as a strategic domain, committing $7 billion to sovereign space capability and establishing Defence Space Command in 2022. The coalition launched the National Space Mission for Earth Observation, a $1.2 billion investment to design, build and operate satellites here in Australia. The coalition backed Gilmour Space directly, awarding a $52 million Modern Manufacturing Initiative grant to support Australian launch capability.

What have the Albanese Labor government done to the space sector since coming to power? They've cut it to pieces. They've slashed $77 million from key programs. Worse still, cuts to programs tied to the needs of our international partner the United States were kept secret. Satellites that would have delivered strategic data to the US have now been shelved without consultation. This undermines the security of other programs where Australia is a beneficiary, like AUKUS. No wonder the Prime Minister struggles to get a meeting with the US President. Labor talk about a future made in Australia, but when it comes to space, a sector brimming with opportunity, they have not shown any serious concern.

We are at a critical juncture. We have the chance to become not just a participant in space but a leader. We can leverage our geophysical advantage, homegrown talent and momentum from the pioneers like Gilmour Space to secure our place in the global space sector. But we must act now. If we invest in our sovereign space capabilities, we can create a thriving space industry—one that delivers jobs. Let's not just look up at the stars; let's boost our sovereign capabilities, advance our space industry and explore the stars. (Time expired)

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