Transcript:

Ms PAYNE (Canberra) (12:36): On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories, I present the committee's report entitled Australia's Antarctic territory: report on the inquiry into the importance of Antarctica to Australia's national interests.

Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e).

Ms PAYNE: by leave—I am pleased to present this report for the inquiry into the importance of Antarctica to Australia's national interests. The committee's terms of reference focused on four key areas: upholding the principles of the Antarctic Treaty System; conserving and protecting Australia's unique biodiversity and environment; advancing global environmental and climate science; and how Antarctica is contributing to Australia's economic and social development. This report underscores the interconnectedness of these priorities and affirms Australia's enduring commitment to being a responsible steward of this extraordinary and fragile continent.

The committee has made 13 recommendations in its report. These recommendations relate to Australia's relationship with the Antarctic Treaty System, the importance of conservation and scientific research in the face of anthropogenic climate change and the important role the city of Hobart plays as Australia's Antarctic gateway. The committee recognises a strong and effective treaty system helps Australia to realise its national interests and notes the need for Australia to remain a strong leader within the Antarctic Treaty System. The committee has recommended Australia pursue the establishment of the proposed East Antarctic marine protected area, increase the number of inspections conducted of other nations' Antarctic bases and remediate the abandoned Wilkes Station.

Science and conservation are the currencies of influence in Antarctica. Therefore, it is incredibly important that Australia continues to invest in world-leading research and support Antarctic science. The committee recommends that the government provide additional support to Australian researchers working on the million year ice core project, the Denman terrestrial campaign and the Denman marine voyage.

It is important to note that later this month the RSV Nuyina will begin its Denman marine voyage. This voyage will take scientists to the Denman Glacier in the Australian Antarctic Territory for 50 days, where they will extensively study the glacier, which reaches 3.5 kilometres below sea level and which potentially contains 1.5 metres of sea level rise. The committee wishes the expeditioners all the best for this incredibly important work.

While in Hobart, the committee was fortunate to board and inspect the Nuyina, Australia's state-of-the-art icebreaker. The RSV Nuyina is the single biggest investment by a Commonwealth government in the history of Australia's Antarctic program. The vessel was built to deliver a world-leading scientific capability to conduct multidisciplinary science and to deliver personnel, cargo and equipment to and from Antarctic and subantarctic stations. Upon listening to the concerns of scientists and other stakeholders, the committee recommends that the Nuyina be prioritised for scientific research and that resupply efforts be led by a second vessel.

This report makes several recommendations about the importance and maintenance of Hobart as Australia's Antarctic gateway. The committee recognises the economic and social value of Antarctica to Australia and the important role of Hobart in this. The committee has recommended that Hobart remain the base of operations for the Australian Antarctic Division and Australian Antarctic Program and that the government work to secure hosting for the Southern Ocean observing system and expedite the redevelopment of Macquarie wharf No. 6 in Hobart.

The committee's work was enriched by the generous contributions of many individuals, organisations and government departments. I extend my sincere thanks to the witnesses who participated in public hearings in Canberra and in Hobart and to those who provided written submissions. Your insights and expertise were invaluable to this inquiry.

I particularly want to thank the scientists who have shared their incredible work with us. It's really inspiring work, just showing how important Antarctica is in understanding climate change and what we can do to mitigate this existential threat. Our committee is making these recommendations because we want to see our government backing you and your important work as much as we can.

I particularly want to thank the Australian Antarctic Division for its contribution to the inquiry, including by hosting committee members in Hobart. The opportunity to tour the division's facilities and board the RSV Nuyina to gain a deeper understanding of this critical work being undertaken by the division was inspirational and informative. The dedication of division staff to advancing Australia's Antarctic program and supporting the objectives of the Antarctic Treaty system is commendable.

I also want to thank my fellow committee members for their engagement with and participation in this inquiry. I greatly appreciated the good faith and bipartisanship all members displayed. I particularly want to thank the committee's deputy chair, the member for Forrest, for her engagement and contribution not just on this inquiry but on all the inquiries we have worked on together this term. It's been an absolute privilege to work with the member for Forrest. I have really valued all that I have gained from that experience and all that she has contributed to the committee's work.

I also want to acknowledge the work of the staff of the committee secretariat. It takes a lot of work to run a parliamentary inquiry, from holding public hearings and going through submissions to drafting and, of course, wrangling members of parliament's diaries—no small task. It is a job that is often thankless but vital to the work of this parliament and our democracy. So I want to thank particularly the inquiry secretary, Samuel Thompson, and also Fran Denny, our committee secretary, whose work over the past three years has been invaluable. This is the third report our committee has handed down and their work has made each of those go incredibly well. So thank you to our wonderful secretariat.

This report serves as a reminder of the responsibility we bear to protect Antarctica's unique environment while continuing to advance our understanding of the profound global challenges we are presented with and support scientists to learn as much as we can from this unique continent. It is my hope that the findings and recommendations contained in this report will guide Australia's ongoing engagement with Antarctica in ways that uphold our national interest and global responsibilities. I move:

That the House take note of the report.