The current state of Australia's space science and
industry sector
Terms of reference
On 19 March 2008, the Senate referred the following matter to
the Senate Standing Committee on Economics for report no later than October
2008 with an interim report by 23 June 2008:
The current state of Australia’s space science and industry
sector, examining options to strengthen and expand Australia’s position in
fields that strongly align with space science and industry, giving consideration
to any national strategic coordination requirements and taking into account
findings and policy options of the National Innovation System Review, with
particular reference to:
-
Australia’s capabilities in space science, industry and education,
including:
-
existing Australian activity
of world-class standard, and
-
areas in which there is
currently little or no activity but that are within the technical and
intellectual capacity of the country;
-
arguments for and against
expanded Australian activity in space science and industry, including:
-
an assessment of the risks to Australia’s
national interest of Australia’s dependence on foreign-owned and operated
satellites,
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the potential benefits that
could accrue to Australia through further development of our space capability,
-
economic, social,
environmental, national security and other needs that are not being met or are
in danger of not being met by Australia’s existing space resources or access to
foreign resources,
-
impediments to strengthening
and expanding space science and industry in Australia, including limiting
factors relating to spatial information and global positioning systems,
including but not limited to ground infrastructures, intergovernmental
arrangements, legislative arrangements and government/industry coordination,
and
-
the goals of any strengthening
and expansion of Australia’s space capability both in the private sector and
across government; and
-
realistic policy options that
facilitate effective solutions to cross-sector technological and organisational
challenges, opportunity capture and development imperatives that align with
national need and in consideration of existing world-class capability.
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