Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of the document.

Five minutes is not sufficient time to speak in depth about the great achievements of the Australian Institute of Marine Science at Cape Cleveland outside Townsville. It is one of the scientific institutions of which Australia can rightly be very proud, and it gives Australia a worldwide reputation in the area of marine science. The institute has for many years now been very ably led by Dr Ian Poiner, the CEO of the Australian Institute of Marine Science, and I was very saddened to hear that, of his own volition, Dr Poiner will not to continue as CEO when his current term expires. I hope to have an opportunity at some other time to speak more fully on this, but I simply say in the short time allowed me today what a tremendous leader and scientist Dr Poiner has been in the area of marine science and what a great manager and CEO he has been for this institute over the years that he has led the work there.

A quick look at the report shows that the institute has been involved in a number of very significant projects over the past year. The fact that the prestigious national prize, the Dorothy Hill award recognising young female scientists, was won by an AIMS researcher, Dr Nicole Webster, is really indicative of the very high quality of work done by AIMS generally. This is the second time in five years that an AIMS scientist has won this award, and I sincerely congratulate Dr Webster, her colleagues and the institute on her achieving that prize.

I note from the report that the institute was very much employed in the investigation and survey of damage in the aftermath of the Shen Neng grounding in the southern Great Barrier Reef and the Montana oil spill in the far north-west of Australia. I also note that AIMS has continued to do a lot of very good scientific work on the crown-of-thorns starfish and some work that will in future benefit the whole of the Great Barrier Reef.

I am pleased to note that I am proud of this institute not only because it comes from North Queensland, where I hail from, but also in my great advocacy for Northern Australia I am very pleased to note the Australian Institute of Marine Science is doing a great deal of work right across the top of Australia. Their snapshots of the year show that a considerable amount of their work has been done in Western Australia, with some work in the Northern Territory as well.

I note that the institute’s aquaculturalists have successfully managed to rear lobster larvae through the full hatchery cycle. I had the privilege during one visit there to see some of the work being done. It is thought to be a world first in the work they have done and a major step towards the development of hatchery technology for the commercially viable aquaculture of lobsters. I can assure the Senate that if that does come to fruition not only will this be fabulous for all of us who love eating Australian seafood but it will also be a very significant commercial advance for Australia, particularly for the north of Australia, if we can get aquaculture of those lobsters done in a commercially viable way.

In the very short time left to me, I also recognise the progress that has been made on the development of the $55 million Tropical Marine Research Facilities Project. The planning of the construction phase for the new aquarium facility, which is due for completion by 2012, is well underway. That project will guarantee Australia’s place as a leading centre for marine science around the world. I congratulate all of those involved in the great work that is done in marine science at the AIMS facility near Townsville. Well done, and thank you for what you do for Australia.

Question agreed to.