Sophie Mirabella (Indi, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a great pleasure to rise today to support the Australian Astronomical Observatory Bill 2009 and the Australian Astronomical Observatory (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2009 as the shadow minister for innovation, industry, science and research. Australia does have a very proud history of achievement when it comes to the science of astronomy. Our unique geographical location affords us many advantages, and our collaboration with the worldwide scientific community has allowed us to play a pivotal role in the research and exploration of space. These bills are another small but significant step in our proud history.

It was back in 1969 that the Australian and United Kingdom governments entered into a treaty to operate a large optical telescope in Australia known as the Anglo-Australian Observatory. The observatory is currently operated by the Anglo-Australian Telescope Board, established by the Anglo-Australian Telescope Agreement Act 1970 and, of course, is funded by both governments. However, in 2005 the government of the United Kingdom decided to withdraw from its involvement in the observatory with effect from 1 July 2010. In November 2005, the then coalition government entered into a treaty with the government of the United Kingdom to give effect to this arrangement. These bills give effect to that treaty by dissolving the Anglo-Australian Telescope Board, transferring the assets to the Australian government, and establishing the Australian Astronomical Observatory as an Australian-owned and -operated facility within the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, obviously with effect from 1 July 2010. The facilities consist primarily of a national observatory located at Siding Spring Observatory, near Coonabarabran in New South Wales, and the headquarters and an instrumentation laboratory located at Epping, in Sydney.

While many Australians may be unaware of its existence, the Anglo-Australian Telescope is one of the finest telescopes in the world, making a prolific contribution to the study of space. Over the past decade, the AAO has pioneered the use of optical fibres in astronomy and currently leads the world in this work. These facilities are world class and internationally respected not only for scientific achievement and discoveries but also for the design and manufacture of cutting-edge astronomical instruments used throughout the world. A lot has been said about Australia being a clever country, but to have facilities and scientific skills of this standard is proof positive of the genuine drive of our nation and our achievements. I take this opportunity to recognise Professor Matthew Colless, the director of the AAO since January 2004, and, of course, his hard-working team. I know a lot of work has gone into the preparation for this transition.

The coalition has always supported and understood the importance of science and the role it plays in advancing our knowledge and our overall national prosperity. In entering into the 2005 treaty to secure the future of what will now be the Australian Astronomical Observatory, the then coalition government recognised not only the scientific value of the facilities and the work undertaken but also the importance of ensuring that the facilities and the science produced would continue to be maintained into the future.

It is essential that this government continues to provide the support necessary to maintain the facilities at a world-class level for the benefit of not only the scientific community but future generations. I am heartened that space science and astronomy are one of the government’s three superscience initiatives. I certainly hope that the funding flows directly to projects that will make a significant contribution to the science. But I have to say that I am a little wary, given the Rudd government’s track record of administering funding programs—and we have seen much discussion about that this week—but I will be keeping a watchful eye on how the funds flow and are used. Science is both a noble cause and a social and economic imperative but bureaucracy certainly is not. The last thing we want is valuable science dollars being wasted, instead of being used for the benefit of scientific endeavour.

The Australian Astronomical Observatory Bill 2009 provides that the Commonwealth may charge fees for things done in performing the functions conferred on the secretary. While there is a legitimate basis for recovering costs in relation to such things as the development and construction of instruments for external clients, it is very important that fees are not applied in any way which would undermine the quality of the science produced or the international standing of the facilities. Science should never be compromised by the political dictates of any particular government or policy. This is something that, as the shadow minister, I feel very strongly about.

On behalf of the coalition, I am pleased to commend this legislation to the House. I wish the team at the new Australian Astronomical Observatory, as it will be called from the middle of this year, all the very best with their future endeavours. I certainly hope to visit the facility at some stage in the near future and to be educated firsthand about some of the additional details of the work that is undertaken there.

Mike Symon (Deakin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to support the Australian Astronomical Observatory Bill 2009 and cognate bill. It is a pleasure to follow on from the member for Indi in this debate. The main bill establishes a new authority, the Australian Astronomical Observatory, whose purpose is to conduct world-class scientific research, using a large observatory in Australia, currently known as the Anglo-Australian Observatory. It has a long and proud history of cutting edge world-class research. The Anglo-Australian Observatory was opened 36 years ago, as a joint initiative, by the governments of Australia and the United Kingdom. Up to that stage, most of the world’s biggest observatories had been situated in the Northern Hemisphere. The establishment of a large observatory in the Southern Hemisphere was a great leap forward for Australian science. To this day, constant innovation has kept the observatory, which, for its mirror size, is still one of the top 25 in the world, at the cutting edge. Unfortunately, as we have already heard, the United Kingdom government has advised it will withdraw its funding from the Anglo-Australian astronomical observatory from 1 July 2010. The United Kingdom government has been a partner in operating this research facility for over 35 years. We must commend it for its work, in partnership with Australia, in building one of the world’s finest observatories. The Rudd government is committed to fully funding this world-class facility when the United Kingdom withdraws its financial involvement.

Schedule 1 of the transition bill repeals the Anglo-Australian Observatory Telescope Agreement Act 1970, which will, in effect, dissolve the current Anglo-Australian Telescope Board, while schedule 2 of the transition bill provides transitional provisions transferring the role of the Anglo-Australian Observatory to the Australian Astronomical Observatory, which will be an entirely Australian entity.

The transition bill also provides for the smooth transfer of assets, liabilities, employees and other matters to the new organisation. The observatory’s employees will be transferred into the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research under the provisions of the Public Service Act 1999, with full transfer of their terms and conditions and maintenance of their accrued entitlements. Obviously, with the date of 1 July 2010 fast approaching, these bills need to go through parliament so that the federal government can meet its obligations to have the funding and operating body in place.

This legislation reflects the supplementary agreement to the Anglo-Australian Observatory agreement, signed between the governments of Australia and the United Kingdom, that confirms the end of the funding from the UK as from 1 July 2010.

These bills enact the government’s commitment, announced in the 2009-10 budget, to fully fund the observatory and its activities. This is a great opportunity for Australian scientists to continue their leading-edge work under a new name, with 100 per cent Australian funding. Investments being made by the Rudd government, like this funding, help build Australia’s reputation as a centre of research and innovation. The Australian Astronomical Observatory Bill allocates an extra $20.9 million in funding across the forward estimates to continue the world-class work of the observatory. This includes a net increase in funding from the Australian government of $4.138 million for the current financial year. The bill establishes the Australian Astronomical Observatory within the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research.

The observatory will have functions relating to astronomy and to operating Australia’s national observatory for optical astronomy, but it will also undertake research to develop and manufacture astronomical instruments—a very specialised field. The Australian Astronomical Observatory will provide support to the optical astronomy community in Australia, and a position of director of the Australian Astronomical Observatory will be created. The bill also establishes an advisory committee to provide independent expert advice on the performance of the astronomical functions, and this committee will play an important role in the management of the observatory and in setting its research goals.

The history of the Anglo-Australian Observatory is something all Australians should be proud of. The initial decision to construct and operate a telescope at Siding Spring dates back to 1967. The original agreement between Australia and the UK was signed at a government level back on 25 September 1969 and was to provide for the establishment and operation of a large optical telescope. This agreement was subsequently implemented by the Anglo-Australian Telescope Agreement Act 1970. The observatory, the largest optical observatory in Australia, was built on Siding Spring Mountain near Coonabarabran in New South Wales and opened in 1974. The headquarters of the board and the instrumentation laboratory are both located at Epping in New South Wales. It was in 2001 that the UK government decided its involvement with the Anglo-Australian Telescope would end due to budget cutbacks in science, and then a supplementary agreement was signed between the governments of the UK and Australia in 2005 that provided for a reduced commitment from the UK, with a transfer to Australia of ownership and responsibility for the telescope to occur on 1 July 2010.

At a mirror width of 3.9 metres, the observatory is still, as I said, in the top 25 of observatories in the world for the width of the mirror. It is one of the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere. It was built—and we should remember this—so astronomers could explore in detail the skies of the Southern Hemisphere. Some of the most exciting regions of the sky can best be viewed from our part of the world. These include the centre of our own Milky Way galaxy and its nearest neighbours, the Magellanic cloud.

What should be noted about the observatory is the ability of scientists and researchers to continually innovate and develop new ways to maximise the output of the observatory, keeping it at the cutting edge of international observatories. The Anglo-Australian Observatory can be used in many different configurations, each requiring different instruments or detectors to collect and analyse the light received by the telescope. Most astronomers use charge coupled devices, CCDs, to collect data—although some of us might think CCD stands for something else. Although some of the following descriptions are reasonably technical, I think it is worth mentioning them so that members of the House and the Australian public can get a feel for the work of the Anglo-Australian Observatory. The CCDs, these highly sensitive solid-state devices, convert light into digital signals which are then collected and stored on computers for further analysis. And they are not all that foreign to most of us, because you will find a CCD inside every digital camera—obviously not of the same quality or standard as you will find in a very large telescope, but these days a charge coupled device is a very common item. I suppose in some ways that is due to the work done by large observatories and laboratories in making that type of equipment available for research use. It flows down to consumer use sooner or later.

Over the past decade the AAO has pioneered the use of optical fibres in astronomy and currently leads the world in this work. The latest of these instruments, the two-degree field facility, uses flexible optical fibres to collect the light from up to 400 faint stars or galaxies from a two-degree field of view. This instrument dramatically improves the efficiency of the observatory, which has traditionally observed one object at a time. It allows astronomers to carry out previously impractical observing projects.

The two-degree field galaxy redshift survey conducted in 2003 was referred to as ‘undoubtedly Australia’s largest contribution to astronomical research ever’, by cosmologist Carlos Frenk from the University of Durham in July 2003. At the completion of that survey, it was the biggest galaxy survey ever made in the world, producing a map showing the locations of more than 221,000 galaxies in outer space. When you consider that our galaxy, the Milky Way, contains somewhere between 100 billion to 400 billion stars and has a diameter of 100,000 light-years, producing a map of 221,000 galaxies is indeed a phenomenal accomplishment. The information in this map was then used to make the most precise estimates to date of the universe’s mass and density. The map was used to estimate the relative amounts baryonic matter—which is normal matter—dark matter and the recently discovered dark energy.

Recent innovations at the Anglo-Australian Observatory have seen the upgrade of the two-degree field facility spectrograph to AA Omega, which enabled even more galaxies to be observed concurrently—up to 400 at once. Up to this point in time, over 300,000 galaxies have now been observed in this survey. In this survey, the Anglo-Australian Observatory is focussing on the most distant measurement of dark energy and will be the first in the world to do so. I certainly look forward to hearing the results of their ambitious scientific project.

Whilst discussing the activities of the Anglo-Australian Observatory, I would like to bring to the House’s attention some exciting new planetary discoveries. It was only in December last year that an international team of planet hunters found three new planets orbiting a star that is very similar to the sun, and it is nearby. To find them, the astronomers employed the Doppler wobble technique, which measures how stars are tugged around by the gravity of their planets, thus revealing much about planets. These three planets orbit the star 61 Virginis, which is virtually a twin of the sun and relatively nearby as far as stars go—it is only 27.8 light-years away from the earth. At this stage, it cannot be determined if these planets are rocky; however, it is estimated that they have masses ranging from 5.3 to 24.9 times that of the earth’s. Consider that Neptune in our solar system has a mass 17 times that of the earth’s. These discoveries point the way to the detection of potentially habitable worlds within a few decades or, who knows, maybe even within a few years. These planets were found by Australian, American and British astronomers using the Anglo-Australian Observatory in New South Wales and the WM Keck Observatory in Hawaii.

It must be noted that the Anglo-Australian Observatory is also one of the world’s top builders of astronomical instruments, which is a highly specialised field of technology. The AAO has built instruments for some of the leading observatories, including the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope array, and Japan’s Subaru telescope in Hawaii. AAO specialises in the building of multi-object spectrographs and associated mechanisms. The development of these instruments is important not only for Australia but for the world.

I would like to briefly mention the latest research of the Anglo-Australian Observatory—the HERMES high-resolution spectrograph project. Unravelling the complex formation history of our galaxy is the primary science driver for HERMES. This process of galactic archaeology involves finding groups of stars that were born together in the same cloud of gas and dust through their chemical abundances, a common fingerprint that uniquely identifies them. By measuring precise chemical abundances for a million stars, it should be possible to identify the clouds from which our own galaxy was formed. Combining this with estimates of the age of the stars and an analysis of their orbits around the galaxy will help to reveal a picture of the sequence of events that produced the Milky Way. This instrument should be available in 2012 for astronomers to continue working on the sequence of events that led to the production of our own galaxy, the Milky Way.

Whilst talking about matters astronomical, it would be remiss of me not to mention Australia’s bid for the Square Kilometre Array telescope. The SKA telescope is a $2 billion project and Australia is in competition with South Africa at the moment in the bidding process. The SKA telescope would be 50 times more sensitive and survey at 10,000 times the speed of current radio telescopes, with the ability to see back to the birth of the first stars and galaxies. With the involvement of 17 countries, the SKA telescope is one of the largest and most ambitious international science projects ever devised.

If Australia wins the SKA, it will be a massive boost to our standing in international science and research and it will create many highly specialised jobs over the 50-year life of the project. Of course, with that will come other opportunities such as ICT projects and the implication for Australian industries across fibre optics, data storage, transport and many other areas.

In summary, these bills will establish the Australian Astronomical Observatory to ensure continuation of the world-class work of the Anglo-Australian Observatory. The Rudd government has made a commitment to fully fund the observatory and establish this fully Australian entity. I look forward to hearing about future innovation and research at the new observatory. I commend the bills to the House.

Dennis Jensen (Tangney, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to also speak on the Australian Astronomical Observatory (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2009. This bill provides transitional arrangements related to the proposed Australian Astronomical Observatory within the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research. The opposition supports this bill. The minister in his second reading speech, among other issues, talked about the necessity to maintain transparency, accountability and continuity of corporate and Commonwealth responsibilities. It is on the issues related to transparency and accountability of Commonwealth responsibilities that I will be focusing.

The government wishes to embark on an emissions trading tax premised on transparency, accountability and accuracy of the scientific assumptions on climate change. The astronomical phenomenon most familiar to Australians would obviously be a solar eclipse. Every time there is an eclipse TV stations and other media warn people, especially children, not to look directly at the sun. This is very wise advice because to do so could cause permanent damage to the eyes. However, those providing the IPCC with its terms of reference took this advice too literally. Do not look at the sun—that is, assume that CO2 is the villain in this confected doomsday scenario of global warming and, whatever you do, do not consider the sun in your preordained discoveries.

It seems passing strange to anyone with a shred of common sense that, whilst reams of words are written about increased CO2 meaning basically a thicker doona around the planet, making it warmer, there is barely a mention made of what provides the heat that is trapped. To the average person in the street it might seem a tad strange not to consider the sun when looking at the climate. That person might think, ‘Gee, I would have thought the sun plays a pretty significant role in the weather and climate.’ In fact, the influence of the sun on the earth is as clear as night and day. The sun is one of the main reasons that life on earth is possible—that, and carbon dioxide of course. Our seasons are governed by the angle of the earth to the sun. Its influence is so central to human beings that whole belief systems have centred on the sun. Scientific consensus once had the earth as the centre of our solar system. But after sceptical thinkers were for centuries condemned, sometimes to death, for the heretical concept of a heliocentric system, it was finally acknowledged that the earth in fact revolved around the sun and that the sun was literally at the centre of our little bit of universe—hence the term ‘solar system’. As my eight-year-old son might say, ‘Der’.

Woe betide anyone who suggests that the sun might be a major reason for changes in climate which have been happening over the past billions of years. Perhaps the observatory could be put to good use to produce the same evidence that many other professional and amateur observers of our heavens have acquired—that is, the influence of solar cycles on the earth’s climate. David Archibald wrote a fascinating monograph entitled Solar Cycle 24, which shows the direct correlation between solar activity and climatic changes. His work draws on previous research by Brunetti in 2003 and Friis-Christensen and Lassen in 1991. Archibald wrote:

These studies include correlations of the record of the ice ages with a Be10 record, which demonstrate that the Earth’s climate moves in sympathy, if not in lockstep, with solar activity.

All humans are aware that when the sun shines brighter we are warmer. But, of course, it is not just the obvious warming effect for which the sun is responsible. As Joseph D’Aleo explains in terms even the Prime Minister and various ministers should be able to comprehend, ‘an active sun is accompanied by increased ultraviolet radiation’. D’Aleo goes on to explain that an active sun ‘leads to less cosmic rays and a reduction in the amount of low-level—water droplet—cloudiness’. The article goes on to explain which data were used in the research and why. What a refreshingly different attitude to that displayed by senior figures in the IPCC, who have refused to release data, even when in breach of FOI laws in the UK, and whose processes make them unworthy of the title of ‘scientist’.

The significance of sunspots is fairly elementary. Periods of less solar activity—that is, fewer sunspots—mean colder periods on earth. D’Aleo says that it was believed the sun was virtually spotless in the Little Ice Age of the 1600’s. It was called the Maunder Minimum. Theodore Landscheidt, in New Little Ice Age Instead of Global Warming?, warned the decline could ‘continue in solar activity until a Maunder Minimum-like level was reached about 2030’. The Russians appear to agree. Khabibullo Abdusamatov, of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said that he and his colleagues had concluded that ‘a period of global cooling similar to the one seen in the late 17th century—when canals froze in the Netherlands and people had to leave their dwellings in Greenland—could start in 2012-2015 and reach its peak in 2055-2060’. The late Rhodes Fairbridge of Columbia University had found with the help of NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory that every 179 years or so the sun embarks on a new cycle of orbits. One of the cooler periods in recent centuries was the Little Ice Age of the 17th century, when the Thames River in London froze over each winter. The next cool period, if the pattern holds, began in 1996, with the effects to be felt starting in 2010. Some predict three decades of severe cold.

So we can see how important astronomical observations are and how, if they are used in a true and proper service of scientific research, we could actually have real answers as to the primary drivers of the earth’s climate, instead of the self-serving antiscientific, fraudulent drivel that we have seen emanating from the IPCC. Speaking of ‘astronomical’, that will be the cost both in dollar terms and in the human toll of this disingenuous obsession with life-giving carbon dioxide. Apart from anything else, carbon based energy provides the cheapest and most reliable energy in the world. Look around at all the amazing achievements of mankind over the last few centuries. Very few of them would have been without the invention of forms of power generation which brought cheap energy, firstly, to the factories and, finally, to the masses. That is exemplified by the fact that virtually everything we use in modern life relies on cheap, reliable power. The price of this virtual life force is what will be controlled by the same people who brought you the subprime disaster. The quality of your lives will be controlled by wealthy financiers in the US and Europe—a truly astronomical disaster, one easily visible to the naked eye.

There is something that all members should consider, something with which I believe we are all in agreement: we all desire clean water, clean air and a reduction in global birthrates. Look at the nations that have the cleanest air, the cleanest water and the lowest birthrates. They all have something in common: they are all affluent. In fact, there is a clear relationship with these three desirable factors and per capita GDP: the higher the per capita GDP, the cleaner the air, the cleaner the water and the lower the birthrate. Why get involved in a policy that will reduce per capita GDP, with all the attendant environmental consequences that I have already outlined, and with due diligence regarding, to quote the minister, ‘maintaining transparency, accountability’ and so on?

Let’s have a look at some of the due diligence aspects in terms of climate change issues, just about all of which relate to data compared with model outputs. Predictions made by the IPCC for this century have all had temperatures going up, including when carbon dioxide holds constant at year 2000 levels. The problem is that temperatures have gone down this century. In fact, Phil Jones, the keeper of one of the major temperature data repositories, the Hadley Climate Research Unit, also the East Anglia Climate Research Unit, has acknowledged latterly that there has been no statistically significant warming since 1995. Yet very single one of the models predicted that temperatures would go up, even when carbon dioxide holds constant—and we know carbon dioxide has increased.

If these global warming models are right and the atmosphere has not heated, where has that heat gone? We have some idea of the energy budget. The new story is that the heat content goes into the global ocean temperatures. The problem is that, since 2003, when the huge network of ocean buoys known as the Argo network was launched—there are approximately 3,000 buoys, which dive 2,000 metres and then come up and transmit data—more data on the oceans has been gathered than we have for all of human history. And what does the Argo network show? It shows that there has been reduction or, at best, no increase in the heat content of the oceans. So much for that one. We have also heard scare stories about the reducing Arctic ice. Yes, the Arctic ice over the last 30 years has reduced. But why aren’t we hearing about the increasing Antarctic ice?

Another prediction—and this is where observation is critical—of the models is that, in the upper troposphere, approximately 10 kilometres up in tropical areas, there should be what is known as a hot spot. That is predicted in all of the circulation models for well-mixed greenhouse gases. So you would expect that, with more carbon dioxide, you would actually see this hot spot. The problem is that, despite a lot of searching, no-one has found it. We are hearing some quite bizarre theories as to why this is the case, including that wind shear and so on is preventing the observation of this. As Jo Nova, one sceptic put it, and it is quite amusing: ‘That’s the first time I’ve ever heard of temperature measured by anemometers.’

We have also heard the story about sea levels. Sea levels have been rising since the end of the last ice age, about 12,000 years ago. In fact, for most of that period it rose significantly more quickly than it has been rising in the last century. In fact, over the last four years there has been no rise in the sea level at all. We have heard the Great Barrier Reef scares. Ove Hough-Guldberg keeps going on about bleaching events that we are going to see. He has predicted four or five major bleaching events for the Great Barrier Reef. Yet, a few months later, he had to say that either there was no bleaching or the reef has recovered a lot better than expected. Professor Peter Ridd, counter to what Ove Hough-Guldberg said, says that the Great Barrier Reef is ‘in bloody brilliant condition’.

Coral reefs have been around for hundreds of millions of years. We are talking about global average temperatures now of around 15 degrees Celsius. In that period there were global average temperatures of 22 degrees Celsius at certain periods and carbon dioxide concentrations more than 10 times what they are now, yet coral reefs lived through all of that. It is a piffling little amount of CO2 that we are adding to the atmosphere compared to what it has been historically—a piffling little amount even if you take the IPCC’s worst scare story on temperatures. The globe has been through far worse than that and coral reefs have lived through it. I do not think most people realise that carbon dioxide today is actually at extremely low levels. Look back to 280 parts per million—much less than about 180 parts per million—and you have no life on earth. The point is that the amount of carbon dioxide we have at the moment is certainly not unusual. Something some people do not realise, as far as carbon dioxide concentration is concerned, when people talk about the drivers of climate is that about 300 million years ago we had what was referred to as ‘snowball earth’—pretty much all of the earth was covered in snow and ice. And do you know what? The carbon dioxide concentration was more than 10 times what it is now.

I will finish off by speaking about another astronomical observatory, where we are putting in a bid against a South African consortium. It is what is known as the Square Kilometre Array. It is an astronomical telescope network that basically encompasses a square kilometre. It will be the largest area of radio telescope in the world. It is worth well over $1 billion. It will push various technologies. For instance, if you had to build it right now the computer technology that is available now would be incapable of doing it—the networking speeds are just not up there. Obviously, knowing Moore’s Law, among other laws, we know that computer technology will be there at that time.

The technical solution that Australia offers is significantly superior to that of South Africa, which is also in the bidding. I am somewhat concerned about what I have been hearing from sources in the diplomatic beltway, which is that South Africa is winning the political war on this one. It will be a significant defeat for Australia if we can put up a solution that is technically way superior but lose the bid because we have not prosecuted the international political battle adequately—because this is a multinational project. This is something that I ask the government to turn its mind to with alacrity and pursue with diligence. South Africa obviously has advantages, particularly in United Nations terms, with the Africa bloc, which makes our job that much harder. I am significantly concerned about what I am hearing through the diplomatic beltway so, as I said, I am really asking that the government turn its attention to this potential disaster for Australia.

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation and Industry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to start by thanking the members for Indi, Deakin and Tangney for taking an interest in the Anglo-Australian Telescope, which on 1 July this year will become the Australian Astronomical Observatory by virtue of the two bills before the House today. Of course, this represents one of the most important pieces of scientific infrastructure that this country has.

In 2005 the governments of Australia and the United Kingdom agreed that on 1 July 2010 the Anglo-Australian Telescope Board, which for 35 years has governed the Anglo-Australian Observatory, based at Siding Spring near Coonabarabran in New South Wales, would be disbanded and the facilities and staff would come under exclusive Australian control.

I start by thanking the UK government for its involvement in this long and productive partnership. Australian and British astronomers have enjoyed a significant scientific advantage in being able to work closely as collaborators using the Anglo-Australian Telescope and the UK Schmidt Telescope at Siding Spring. I would also like to acknowledge the vision and foresight of those British scientists and politicians who in the late 1960s recognised the potential for a world-class Southern Hemisphere observatory and for collaborating with their Australian colleagues. The results have been very rewarding.

The Australian Astronomical Observatory Bill 2009 and its companion, the Australian Astronomical Observatory (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2009, implement the 2005 treaty obligation and will ensure that the observatory continues to provide an excellent research environment for Australia’s world-class astronomy community for years to come. The government has also provided the observatory with significant new funding of $20.9 million over four years, as announced in the 2009-10 budget.

Australia is taking over a truly remarkable institution. The observatory is making a significant contribution to our understanding of dark energy, the formation of galaxies and the properties of planetary systems around other stars. The observatory is also one of the world’s top builders of astronomical instruments, a highly specialised field of technology. It has built instruments for leading telescopes around the world. The Anglo-Australian Telescope, the AAO’s primary, four-metre diameter telescope, has been judged the most productive instrument of its class in the world. Indeed, the telescope continues to be one of the most useful telescopes of any size, a testament to the dedication of its management and staff over the years. There is no doubt that this outstanding observatory has helped both Australia and the UK become world leaders in the fields of astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology.

The AAO bill provides for the observatory’s new governance arrangements. It will be renamed the Australian Astronomical Observatory and established as a business unit of the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research. The department will have new astronomical functions, which include operating Australia’s National Optical Astronomy Observatory and supporting the development and manufacture of astronomical observing instruments. The AAO bill provides for the observatory to have a director, who will be supported by an advisory committee. The AAO bill and the government’s related budget announcements are a significant win for science and for the vibrant regional community around Coonabarabran, which has hosted and supported this facility for nearly four decades.

The Australian Astronomical Observatory (Transitional Provisions) Bill is the companion bill to the Australian Astronomical Observatory Bill, which establishes the Australian Astronomical Observatory as the successor to the previous joint Australia-UK facility, the Anglo-Australian Observatory. The transitional provisions in the transitional bill wind up the Anglo-Australian Telescope Agreement Act 1970, thus disbanding the Anglo-Australian Telescope Board. The transitional bill also provides for the smooth transfer of business from the board to the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research. This includes the transfer of current AAO staff to the department under the provisions of the Public Service Act 1999 and the maintenance of all their accrued entitlements. These staff transfer provisions will allow the observatory to retain the expert and experienced staff who are so vital to the ongoing success of the observatory. The transitional bill will ensure that the observatory can continue its important work without interruption. I commend both the AAO Bill and the transitional bill to the House.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

Ordered that the bill be reported to the House without amendment.