Australian Antarctic Strategy and 20 Year Action Plan Australian Antarctic Strategy and 20 Year Action Plan Prime Minister’S Foreword
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Australian Antarctic Strategy and 20 Year Action Plan Australian Antarctic Strategy and 20 Year Action Plan Prime Minister’s Foreword Australia has inherited a proud legacy from Sir Douglas Significant progress has already been made by the Mawson and the generations of Australian Antarctic Government on improving aviation access to Antarctica. expeditioners who have followed in his footsteps - a We have undertaken C-17A trial flights to provide an option legacy of heroism, scientific endeavour and environmental for a new heavy-lift cargo capability. Work will continue stewardship. across Government to further build support for the Australian Antarctic programme. Mawson’s legacy has forged, for all Australians, a profound and significant connection with Antarctica. The Australian The Government’s investment in Antarctic capability, in Antarctic Territory occupies a unique place in our national support of Antarctic science, represents a step change in identity. our Antarctic programme and will equip us to be a partner of choice in East Antarctica and to work even more closely Australia’s Antarctic science programme is one of our most with other countries within the Antarctic Treaty system. iconic and enduring national endeavours. Antarctica is of great importance to Australians, and Antarctic science will A strong and effective Antarctic Treaty system is in continue to be one of our national priorities. Australia’s national interest. The Government will use our international engagement to build and maintain strong and Antarctica is an extreme and hostile environment. Modern effective relationships with other nations in support of the and effective Antarctic operations and logistics capabilities Antarctic Treaty system. are the lifeline of Australia’s activities and presence in Antarctica. Our proximity to Antarctica provides valuable opportunities. Tasmania boasts one of the world’s leading Antarctic Providing new operational funding and the modernisation gateway sectors for science and logistics and hosts the of our Australian Antarctic programme is critical to enabling world’s largest and most vibrant concentration of Antarctic Australia to continue our strong support for the Antarctic and Southern Ocean expertise, drawing in research and Treaty system, deliver world-class science, and run our logistical capabilities from around the world. This inspires Antarctic operations safely and efficiently. world-leading innovation and technological development. Through ongoing work between the Commonwealth and The Government will bring Australia’s Antarctic presence State Governments and industry, Tasmania’s status as and science into the next generation through the an Antarctic Gateway and research hub will be further acquisition of a new world-class icebreaker, restoration of enhanced. our inland traverse capability, preliminary work to develop year-round aviation access and revitalising Antarctic The Government is delivering a new era of Australian science infrastructure. Antarctic endeavour. It is timely to reaffirm our national Antarctic interests, and to set out a plan to protect and The icebreaker represents the biggest single investment promote them. by an Australian Government in the Australian Antarctic programme. Reliable access to Antarctica and a modern, This Australian Antarctic Strategy and its accompanying sophisticated and multidisciplinary science platform in Action Plan will guide Australia’s Antarctic engagement into the Southern Ocean is essential to Australia’s scientific the future and build on our past century of leadership. It research and leadership in Antarctica. The efficient and will ensure that Antarctica remains valued, protected and effective use of the new icebreaker will be maximised by understood. the delivery of associated infrastructure in Antarctica. Delivery of an overland traverse capability with associated ice core drilling and mobile research station infrastructure will enable Australia to take a lead role in major research projects including the search for a million year ice core. The Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP, Prime Minister of Australia ... 01 ... Introduction The Australian Antarctic Strategy sets out Australia’s national Antarctic interests and our vision for Australia’s future engagement in Antarctica. The accompanying Action Plan details the steps the Government will take to fulfil the Strategy. The Action Plan is staged over a 20 year period to achieve and assess progress against the desired outcomes from this ambitious Strategy. Under the Action Plan, the Government is committing to the most significant package of measures ever developed by an Australian Government to build Australia’s role as a leader in Antarctica. ... 02 ... Key actions the Government will deliver are: Introduction • A new world-class research and resupply Antarctic icebreaker. • New and stable funding to support an active Australian Antarctic programme. • Establish Australia’s position of science leadership in Antarctica through: o developing modern and flexible infrastructure, including • restoring traverse capabilities and establishing mobile stations in the Antarctic interior • further scoping options for expanded aviation capabilities to establish a year-round aviation capability between Hobart and Antarctica • progressing options for more efficient and flexible use of existing research stations o a revitalised science programme, including • coordinated and effective funding of Antarctic science • opportunities for public-private partnerships to conduct new and iconic scientific research endeavours o greater collaboration and resource-sharing with other nations active in East Antarctica. • Strengthen the Antarctic Treaty system and our influence in it, by building and maintaining strong and effective relationships with other Antarctic Treaty nations through our international engagement. • Build Tasmania’s status as the premier East Antarctic Gateway for science and operations, including through: o streamlined Government regulatory and approval processes to facilitate increased use of Hobart as an Antarctic Gateway port o agreeing priority proposals with industry to enhance Tasmania’s status as an Antarctic Gateway, including expanded infrastructure in Hobart for the new icebreaker o a major review on building research infrastructure in Hobart to establish Australia as the world’s leader in krill research. ... Aurora Australis moored in Horseshoe Harbour at Mawson Station © Ian Phillips, 2012 03 ... Australia in Antarctica Much has changed over Australia’s century of Australia established its first research stations in the involvement in Antarctica. Technology, logistical subantarctic at Heard Island in 1947 and Macquarie capabilities and international engagement in the Island in 1948. In 1954, under the leadership of continent have developed apace since Australia’s Antarctic explorer and scientist Dr Philip Law, Australia early Antarctic forays. But the challenge of operating chartered its first ice-capable ship and established the in the world’s most extreme and unforgiving first year round and permanent research base on the environment remains constant. Antarctic continent – Mawson station. This station is the longest continually operated station south of the A viable Antarctic programme requires the means to Antarctic Circle. Davis station, established in 1957, was cross thousands of kilometres of the world’s stormiest soon to follow and in 1959 Australia took over Wilkes seas, to navigate through Antarctica’s formidable sea station, built by the United States of America, on Clark ice barrier, and to live and work for extended periods Peninsula. Wilkes was succeeded by the nearby Casey on the coldest, driest and windiest continent on earth. station in 1969. Australia’s first Antarctic expedition, the Australasian In the 1970s and 1980s, Australians completed some Antarctic Expedition of 1911-1914, was led by Sir of the greatest land-based expeditions ever made in Douglas Mawson aboard the wooden ship, SY Antarctica, traversing several thousands of kilometres Aurora. This was Australia’s first large-scale scientific across East Antarctica. The use of dog sleds continued programme after Federation in 1901. Early Antarctic for decades as a significant means of transporting exploration was arduous and relied on hauling precious cargo such as food and other supplies and sledges with the assistance of dogs. Australia’s early scientific samples. Over time, small aircraft, tractors and explorers constructed two temporary wooden bases, over-snow vehicles were used to increase the range and one at Cape Denison (now Mawson’s Huts Historic efficiency of Australia’s traverse operations. Site) and a second on the Shackleton Ice Shelf. Mawson’s expedition used then ground-breaking A step-change in Australia’s Antarctic capabilities intercontinental radio communications, enabling occurred with the introduction in the 2005-06 them to transmit meteorological reports back to Budget of funding for the Hobart-Antarctic Airlink, Australia by relaying messages via Macquarie Island. providing the first ever intercontinental aviation link between Australia and Antarctica for the transport of personnel and small cargo. Australia today operates a network of aircraft landing sites in Antarctica, including the Wilkins glacial ice runway which supports the wheeled Airbus A319 intercontinental operations Australia asserts sovereignty over 42 per cent and skiways for ski-equipped air operations between of the Antarctic continent – the