Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Australian government has a strong commitment to Antarctic science, and the budget handed down last night included over $900 million in funding over the forward estimates for the Australian Antarctic Program. Australia's Antarctic presence enjoys broad support across this parliament, and many members and senators have joined the Parliamentary Antarctic Alliance, which I co-chair with Senator Duniam.

When it comes to the impacts of climate change, Antarctica is the canary in the coalmine. Our understanding of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean is vital to our understanding of how we continue to sustain life on our planet. This understanding was reinforced at the recent launch of the Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science, or ACEAS, at which I represented the government. ACEAS is a joint initiative of the Australian Research Council and eight Australian universities, led by UTAS through the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, or IMAS.

ACEAS will be at the forefront of research into the climate risks emerging from Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. For example, at the launch, we heard about research examining how ocean sediment can provide clues as to how the inundation of warm water may affect Antarctic ice. We also heard about a new model for predicting krill distribution and about how krill is such a critical component of ecosystems throughout Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, including Southern Ocean fisheries.

The work of ACEAS is supported by the Australian Antarctic Program and by the Antarctic Science Foundation. I would like to thank the foundation's CEO, Andrew Kelly, for meeting with me last week to discuss the foundation's work. As a proud Tasmanian, I'm pleased to see Hobart maintain its role as the gateway to Antarctica. I'm also pleased to see government, universities and the private sector working together to deliver a strong Antarctic research effort.