Backlash against space agency relocation

Political and industry leaders are bewildered by Scott Morrison’s decision to relocate the Australian Space Agency to Adelaide.

Labor science spokesman Kim Carr: “Labor won’t unnecessarily move government agencies for a political fix. We will look at the details, in particular how all states and territories can play a role in contributing to this hugely important project.”

State, territory and industry leaders are bewildered by a “highly parochial” decision of Scott Morrison to permanently relocate the Australian Space Agency headquarters to Adelaide, with little detail on how other jurisdictions will benefit.

Bill Shorten, whose frontbench had pledged the agency would remain in Canberra with “nodes” in the states and territories if Labor won the next election, refused yesterday to categorically back the move to South Australia.

“We certainly want to see jobs go to Adelaide and we’re certainly very committed to a space agency, and therefore we’ll look at the evidence and if it’s the right case to move the jobs to Adelaide, we certainly will,” the federal Opposition Leader said.

Labor science spokesman Kim Carr later told The Australian: “Labor won’t unnecessarily move government agencies for a political fix. We will look at the details, in particular how all states and territories can play a role in contributing to this hugely important project.

“It is critical that there is a nat­ional approach to the work of the agency. Labor has said it wants the Australian Space Agency to have a presence in every state and territory to ensure each jurisdiction maintains effort.

“Now that this decision to establish a location in Adelaide has been made, Labor will determine the size and scope of additional locations at a later date and in consultation with state and territory governments as well as local ­industry.”

The Australian on Tuesday revealed Adelaide had beaten other states and territories as the capital city base of the new agency.

SA Premier Steven Marshall, who by July could be the only mainland Liberal leader in power, yesterday demanded an assurance from Mr Shorten that federal Labor would not reverse the Prime Minister’s decision.

“We don’t want this moving anywhere else in Australia,” Mr Marshall said.

“What we need is for Bill Shorten to completely and utterly rule out any move of the national space agency to Canberra, Western Australia, Sydney, wherever.”

Federal Labor has vigorously opposed any relocation of Australian government agencies from the national capital to other parts of Australia. The Australian Space Agency has been operating in Canberra since July.

Andrew Dempster, the director of the Australian Centre for Space Engineering Research at the University of NSW, described the planned move to Adelaide as a great disappointment.

“The announcement was very parochial, with no mention of other states that make significant contributions to the space industry,” Professor Dempster said.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr accused Mr Morrison of a “blatantly political manoeuvre”.

The Morrison government committed $41 million to establish the space agency’s office by July on part of the old Royal Adelaide Hospital site, initially employing about 20 people.