South Australia space agency: Marshall and Malinauskas to work together to bring national HQ to Adelaide

A BIPARTISAN push to get Space HQ in Adelaide is under way, as details emerge of a national agency to lead the multi-billion dollar industry.

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THE major parties have launched a bipartisan bid to host a national space agency in Adelaide that will lead the multibillion-dollar industry.

Premier Steven Marshall and Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas said they would work together to give SA the best possible chance in the space race against other states.

Reports that $50 million in seed funding for the agency would be included in Tuesday’s Federal Budget were hailed as “historic” and a “landmark” decision. The agency will be a springboard for private investment and SA is in prime position because of its booming defence industry.

Fleet Space CEO Flavia Tata Nardini with their nano satellite prototype. Picture: AAP / Matt Loxton

Mr Marshall said he had already spoken to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne and Defence Minister Marise Payne to spruik Adelaide’s credentials, and that he would meet with Industry Minister Michaelia Cash within weeks to do the same.

“One of my first meetings with Malcolm Turnbull when he became PM was to advocate for a space agency. I went to that meeting with (Adelaide-born astronaut) Andy Thomas,” Mr Marshall said.

“Since that time I‘ve been doing everything I can to advance the case for SA to be the home of the national space agency. We’ve got enormous capability.”

That capability, he said, was in our geography, our history, our defence background, and our burgeoning small satellite industry.

Mr Marshall said he would work with Mr Malinauskas on a “strong bipartisan bid”.

Both leaders have the defence and space portfolios.

Senator Cash announced in Adelaide last year that the Federal Government would establish a national space agency, but the details were scarce. Former CSIRO chief Megan Clark did a review of the sector, and is expected to head the new agency.

Mr Malinauskas said Labor had led the way in space industry development, established the SA Space Industry Centre, created the space industries portfolio, and secured the International Astronautical Congress last year.

“Due to our leadership, SA is now the natural home for Australia’s space agency,” he said.

SA Premier Steven Marshall. Picture: AAP / David Mariuz

UniSA dean of industry and enterprise Andy Koronios said there was a “compelling case” for the agency to be based here.

“SA has a vibrant space industry ecosystem with more than 60 SA-based organisations involved in a commercial space activity,” he said.

UniSA is working on a national Cooperative Research Centre in smart satellite technologies.

“SA has been the cradle of what promises to be Australia’s next big industry,” Prof Koronios said. SA will face competition to be the agency host from other states and territories.

There is a chance the agency will be split into separate hubs.