❓ WA Minister criticises the federal Liberal government's decision to fund a mission control centre in Adelaide instead of WA, despite WA's strong proposal and existing relationships with NASA and ESA. Accuses federal WA Liberals of not supporting WA's interests.
AnsweredQoN 167Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
AUSTRALIAN SPACE AGENCY
167. Mr M. HUGHES to the Minister for Science:
I refer to this government's
proposal for a mission control centre to be funded by the new Australian Space
Agency. Can the minister advise the house whether the federal Liberal
government has supported this proposal; and, if not, can the minister outline
to the house how the federal Liberal government has responded to Western Australia's
efforts to be part of the Australian Space Agency?
167. Mr M. HUGHES to the Minister for Science:
I refer to this government's
proposal for a mission control centre to be funded by the new Australian Space
Agency. Can the minister advise the house whether the federal Liberal
government has supported this proposal; and, if not, can the minister outline
to the house how the federal Liberal government has responded to Western Australia's
efforts to be part of the Australian Space Agency?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Kalamunda for
the question. Members of the house will recall that the federal government last
year kicked off the Australian Space Agency. As part of that agency's
make-up, the federal government called for states to pitch projects for which
the Australian Space Agency might commit money. In the budget there was $15 million
for projects for the federal government to fund. The state government worked
hard with the scientific community here in Western Australia, led by the Chief
Scientist. We came up with a range of projects that the federal government,
through the space agency, could support here in WA. One of those projects was a
mission control centre in Western Australia to provide mission control
capabilities, which would build on the relationships we already have with
agencies such as NASA and the European Space Agency.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.J. KELLY : The idea of a mission
control facility was conceived in Western Australia and worked through with the
scientific community, to build on the relationships we already have. Western Australia
is one of the only places on the planet with which both NASA and ESA engage. We
put in that application.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, I want
to hear the answer.
Mr
D.J. KELLY : Yesterday, the
relevant minister, Minister Andrews, made an announcement that the Australian
Space Agency will indeed fund a mission control centre, but it was
announced that it will be funded in Adelaide!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.J. KELLY : This was a project that was worked
through with the scientific community here in Western Australia to build on our
capability. The federal Liberal government has announced that it is a great
idea, and it will fund it in Adelaide. What this shows yet again —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : There is one
question left on this side. If you keep interjecting, it will not happen.
Minister.
Mr D.J. KELLY : What it shows
is that, yet again, the federal Liberal government takes Western Australia for
granted. I can tell members opposite that the scientific community is
absolutely ropeable.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister.
Mr D.J. KELLY : Members
opposite can sit here and make snide remarks.
Mr S.K. L'Estrange :
Your side is making snide remarks, not us.
Mr D.J. KELLY : What on earth
would the member for Churchlands know!
The SPEAKER : Member for
Churchlands!
Mr D.J. KELLY : The scientific
community is absolutely ropeable that, yet again, the federal Liberal
government is taking them for granted. What it shows is that Christopher Pyne,
with one foot in the retirement lounge, can get more for his state than the
federal Liberals here in WA. From day one, Senator Reynolds has been
criticising Western Australia rather than supporting the development of a space
agency here in Western Australia.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! Member for
Churchlands, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr D.J. KELLY : People like
Andrew Hastie and Christian Porter, instead of being part of team Western Australia
on this issue —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
House, you should be setting an example!
Mr D.J. KELLY : When the
federal Liberal government announced last year that it was going to put the
space agency in Adelaide, Senator Reynolds went out in the media and said 11
times that Western Australia had not put in a submission to the federal
government. She said that 11 times on radio. It took us about 30 minutes to
produce the submission we put in to show that Senator Reynolds was misleading
the people of WA. What we need from members of the Western Australian Liberal
Party, including those in this chamber, is for them to actually come on board
with team WA. It is all right for the Leader of the Opposition to make snide
remarks in this chamber, but the scientific community here in WA is absolutely
ropeable at the lack of support for them from the Western Australian Liberal
Party, both at the state and federal levels.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.J. KELLY : Members
opposite can make snide remarks here, but outside the scientific community is absolutely
livid. There are other projects. There is other funding available from the
Australian Space Agency. I call upon members opposite to actually come on board
and start supporting the scientific community here in Western Australia, rather
than a failed federal Liberal government.
the question. Members of the house will recall that the federal government last
year kicked off the Australian Space Agency. As part of that agency's
make-up, the federal government called for states to pitch projects for which
the Australian Space Agency might commit money. In the budget there was $15 million
for projects for the federal government to fund. The state government worked
hard with the scientific community here in Western Australia, led by the Chief
Scientist. We came up with a range of projects that the federal government,
through the space agency, could support here in WA. One of those projects was a
mission control centre in Western Australia to provide mission control
capabilities, which would build on the relationships we already have with
agencies such as NASA and the European Space Agency.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.J. KELLY : The idea of a mission
control facility was conceived in Western Australia and worked through with the
scientific community, to build on the relationships we already have. Western Australia
is one of the only places on the planet with which both NASA and ESA engage. We
put in that application.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, I want
to hear the answer.
Mr
D.J. KELLY : Yesterday, the
relevant minister, Minister Andrews, made an announcement that the Australian
Space Agency will indeed fund a mission control centre, but it was
announced that it will be funded in Adelaide!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.J. KELLY : This was a project that was worked
through with the scientific community here in Western Australia to build on our
capability. The federal Liberal government has announced that it is a great
idea, and it will fund it in Adelaide. What this shows yet again —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : There is one
question left on this side. If you keep interjecting, it will not happen.
Minister.
Mr D.J. KELLY : What it shows
is that, yet again, the federal Liberal government takes Western Australia for
granted. I can tell members opposite that the scientific community is
absolutely ropeable.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister.
Mr D.J. KELLY : Members
opposite can sit here and make snide remarks.
Mr S.K. L'Estrange :
Your side is making snide remarks, not us.
Mr D.J. KELLY : What on earth
would the member for Churchlands know!
The SPEAKER : Member for
Churchlands!
Mr D.J. KELLY : The scientific
community is absolutely ropeable that, yet again, the federal Liberal
government is taking them for granted. What it shows is that Christopher Pyne,
with one foot in the retirement lounge, can get more for his state than the
federal Liberals here in WA. From day one, Senator Reynolds has been
criticising Western Australia rather than supporting the development of a space
agency here in Western Australia.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! Member for
Churchlands, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr D.J. KELLY : People like
Andrew Hastie and Christian Porter, instead of being part of team Western Australia
on this issue —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
House, you should be setting an example!
Mr D.J. KELLY : When the
federal Liberal government announced last year that it was going to put the
space agency in Adelaide, Senator Reynolds went out in the media and said 11
times that Western Australia had not put in a submission to the federal
government. She said that 11 times on radio. It took us about 30 minutes to
produce the submission we put in to show that Senator Reynolds was misleading
the people of WA. What we need from members of the Western Australian Liberal
Party, including those in this chamber, is for them to actually come on board
with team WA. It is all right for the Leader of the Opposition to make snide
remarks in this chamber, but the scientific community here in WA is absolutely
ropeable at the lack of support for them from the Western Australian Liberal
Party, both at the state and federal levels.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.J. KELLY : Members
opposite can make snide remarks here, but outside the scientific community is absolutely
livid. There are other projects. There is other funding available from the
Australian Space Agency. I call upon members opposite to actually come on board
and start supporting the scientific community here in Western Australia, rather
than a failed federal Liberal government.
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