Space industry group says Canberra should be engaging, but space policy is a ‘vacuum’

SA’s plan to put an Aussie-made rover on the moon has stalled and the space industry says the new government in Canberra has simply not engaged with it.

South Australia’s burgeoning space industry, including a project to put an Aussie-made rover on the moon, has “fallen through the cracks”, the peak space body says.

In the 100 days after the election, the Space Industry Association of Australia said there had been “no substantial engagement with the space industry by any ministerial office in Canberra”.

The association said space policy was in a “vacuum” and critical national space infrastructure projects totalling nearly $2.5bn were “stalled on departmental desks”.

“It appears to many that space has fallen through the cracks in Canberra,” chief executive James Brown wrote in an open letter.

“It seems easier for the Head of the Australian Space Agency to get a meeting with the NASA administrator right now than with the Australian government.”

An artist’s impression showcasing how an Australian-made rover could contribute to a bigger international exploration program on the moon. Picture: Supplied

The federal opposition said the government’s “neglect” of the industry had placed jobs and businesses at risk and was of particular concern for South Australia, where the agency is based.

But the government denied the claim, and said it had “regular and constructive engagement” with the agency and broader industry.

Enrico Palermo, head of the Australian Space Agency, said: “Since his swearing-in, I have met with (Science Minister Ed Husic) and the Minister’s chief of staff, and my executive and I have a fortnightly meeting with the Minister’s advisers.”

Enrico Palermo, head of Australian Space Agency with a satellite at the Lab on December 3, 2021 in Adelaide. Picture: Matt Turner

There was no space industry representative invited to the government’s Jobs and Skills Summit last week, Mr Brown’s letter said – despite the sector employing more than 10,000 workers and contributing billions to the national economy.

He said the government was yet to respond to 38 recommendations made by a parliamentary inquiry into the industry, which had reported nine months ago.

Mr Brown said the agency’s flagship Lunar Rover program, announced last year in partnership with NASA, was also behind schedule.

“NASA’s launch deadline for 2026 is fixed, unnecessary schedule delays now mean we could miss our ride,” he said.

Minister for Industry and Science, Ed Husic. Picture: Martin Ollman/Getty Images

Opposition science spokesman Paul Fletcher. Picture: John Appleyard

Opposition science spokesman Paul Fletcher said the industry’s peak organisation had taken an “extraordinary step” by calling out the government’s failure to engage on space policy. “This (failure), in turn, is creating real uncertainty about the future of critical national space projects worth nearly $2.5bn ... risking thousands of jobs,” he said.

A spokesman for Mr Husic said: “Since being elected just over 100 days ago, we have hit the ground running, including ticking off on $115m in funding to eight space industry companies left uncontracted by the former government.”

He said jobs in South Australia were not at risk, and the government would respond to the parliamentary inquiry recommendations by November – less than six months after taking office.Addressing the Jobs and Skills Summit, he said insights from a space industry roundtable in August were included in the summit talks.