Australian Institute of Marine Science to receive double funding for four years in win for jobs

A massive upgrade to an agency headquarters in Queensland is set to deliver a jobs boon for the state.

The annual budget of Australia’s world-leading marine science agency will be doubled for the next four years, with the federal government confirming the funding boost amid concerns 100 jobs were set to be lost.

It was revealed last week the facilities at the Australian Institute of Marine Science, headquartered south of Townsville, was in such bad shape its offices were riddled with mould in the carpets, ceilings, and its airconditioning ducts were rotting.

Its 1970s-era science labs were also no longer fit for purpose, putting at risk the agency’s ability to meet the government’s mandate to provide leading scientific advice.

One of its smaller research vessels, the now 18-year-old RV Apollo, has also hit its use-by date and maintenance costs are rising.

Facilities at Australian Institute of Marine Science headquarters in Townsville are riddled with mould and severely degrading.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek confirmed an extra $163.4m would be pumped into AIMS over the next four years on top of its annual federal funding — which has so far hovered between $44m and $47m since 2017-18.

Ms Plibersek travelled to Townsville on Wednesday to reveal the funding would be included in the federal government’s upcoming May budget.

There had been warnings a third of AIMS’ 300-strong workforce — most of whom are located in regional Northern Australia — would need to be axed and operations downsized if federal funding wasn’t secured.

It’s understood the extra cash promised will help create an extra 100 jobs and make 66 existing jobs permanent.

Facilities at Australian Institute of Marine Science headquarters in Townsville are riddled with mould and severely degrading.

The cash will go toward refurbishing AIMS’ Townsville headquarters, including repairing parts of the building which are currently uninhabitable due to mould growth and replacing decaying airconditioning units.

According to the government, recent increases in the frequency and duration of severe weather events had led to the site being isolated electrically and with science experiments needing “constant and reliable supply” of power it had become clear upgrades were needed.

The RV Apollo research vessel will also be replaced.

A management office to oversee the infrastructure program will be set up in Townsville.

Facilities at Australian Institute of Marine Science headquarters in Townsville are riddled with mould and severely degrading.

AIMS chief executive Paul Hardisty said the funding increase, the “first in 10 years”, would enable the agency to continue its science and research activities and maintain Australia’s position as a “world leader in marine science”.

Ms Plibersek said AIMS was “too important to abandon”.

“This investment will protect jobs in North Queensland, support vital ocean research, and protect the Great Barrier Reef,” she said.

The federal Coalition government in its final budget in March last year, injected an extra $63.6m into AIMS to be spread over five years, including $22.8m to remediate its wharf at Cape Cleveland and $5.3m for design work to replace major research vessel RV Cape Ferguson.

Once the funding tapered off in mid-2024, AIMS would have received an extra $1.5m a year.