Report, Motion to Take Note
Mr PERRETT (Gympie—LNP) (3.30 pm): I rise to speak to the report on the inquiry into job creation opportunities in Queensland arising from the establishment of Australian space industry. With space as a new frontier, the committee looked at opportunities to create jobs and promote existing supply chain capability from the establishment of a space Industry in Queensland. Among the 15 recommendations is developing site options in regional Queensland for a launch facility. I am excited that Gympie, or more specifically the Cooloola coast, was highlighted by experts as an ideal place to situate a launch site. In fact, General Manager, Defence and Aerospace, Special Projects, Products For Industry, Nick Green, said that it was harder to find a better spot anywhere else in Australia. He said—
The preference for the Gympie type of area is primarily based on my experience …. In looking at the entire of Australia, that is pretty much the golden point. It is the location, the location, the location. Being so close to industry, being downrange is perfect. You have a large clear area. It is a bit hard to find anything else like it. If the government were serious about progressing a space industry I could think of no better place than Gympie. Experts identified that Gympie can provide a wide variety of orbital inclinations as it has a similar latitude to Florida, which makes it the perfect spot. It is suitable for a wide variety of types of launches because it offers a clear and safe easterly flight path over an open ocean. It is south of the Great Barrier Reef. The airspace is easily controlled as it is already under Department of Defence jurisdiction because Defence airspace is within 10 kilometres off the coast. Gympie is also close enough to Amberley to be able to leverage off its sophisticated radar facilities. Amberley’s microwave radar tracking stations have scope and reach over the Gympie region. This means that, as rocket tracking systems would not have to be installed, it makes it a significantly cheaper start-up cost. It also opens the possibility to launching hypersonic technology.
Clear access over the ocean is very important for a site, according to Professor Michael Smart, who is Chair of Hypersonic Propulsion at Queensland University’s School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering. He said that almost all sites launch over the ocean—
because it is a much more easily controlled space for safety … there is a thing called a safety template, where you have to look at the possibilities of problems and how big an area you need to clear out.
Nick Green identified a 30-kilometre clear space saying—
The Gympie area, through the Great Sandy National Park, has the potential to have about 30 kilometres clear, full circle, to be able to launch. That is quite unique sitting on the coast of Australia, let alone somewhere close that makes it economically viable for industry to be doing these sorts of things … there is a landing strip on Rainbow Beach … That is perfect for things like drone technology or landing rockets from hypersonic technology …
I am enthusiastic about Gympie’s potential because it would not only provide a launch site but also generate significant economic and employment opportunities on the back of the proposal. It would be a great addition to the mix of industries we have in Gympie and help create new employment opportunities with spin-offs from associated support industries, research and tourism