List of Recommendations

Recommendation 1

2.104

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government in consultation with industry seek to define:

an overaching vision for the Australian space industry

a set of long term national space priorities to guide and galvanise the Australian space industry

with the aim of inspiring the Australian public, providing investment confidence, developing Australian space capabilities, and positioning Australia as a globally competitive player.

2.105

The Committee recommends that these national missions be informed by the seven civil space priority roadmaps under development.

Recommendation 2

2.106

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government review the way it delivers funding to the Australian space industry with a focus on the development of space capability and capacity. This includes:

broadening the funding streams to include contracts for specific space capability

the necessity for industry co-funding where private entities are likely to be commercially disadvantaged.

Recommendation 3

2.107

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government examine ways to better coordinate and align civil and defence space priorities and investment.

2.108

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government work with industry to identify current and future opportunities for the civil space sector to support Australian defence space requirements, including on projects such as DEF 799.

Recommendation 4

2.109

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government establish a whole of government Ministerial Council on Space that comprises representatives from Commonwealth and State and Territory governments, stakeholders and industry groups to oversee the further development and coordination of the Australian space industry as a whole.

Recommendation 5

2.110

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government review or strengthen procurement policies and guidelines to ensure that Australian owned and operated space industry content is used where reasonably possible.

2.111

As part of these procurement guidelines Australian Government departments and agencies be required to set out the rationale for procurement of any space products and services obtained from overseas, including why such a capability could not be sourced domestically.

2.112

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government identify suitable points of contact within the Australian Space Agency or the broader Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources to assist industry navigate government procurement processes.

Recommendation 6

2.113

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government examine the feasibility of establishing an expert technical advisor, similar to the model adopted in the United States, to support government with procurement of space based products and services, and the development of national missions.

Recommendation 7

2.114

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government examine options to increase the visibility of space across the Government and Parliament to emphasize its importance and communicate its relevance to Australians. This could include but not be limited to:

incorporating space as a specific focus of a joint or house parliamentary committee, including in the name of the committee

ensuring that a research position within the Parliamentary Library covers space related issues to ensure that adequate research support is available to Members and Senators

ensuring that adequate positions across the Australian public service can cover the breath of space related issues and matters as they relate to particular departments and agencies.

Recommendation 8

2.115

The Committee recommends that, as part of the Australian Space Agency’s post operational review, the following matters be given careful consideration:

establishing the Australian Space Agency as a statutory authority

separating its industry engagement and regulatory functions

future workforce requirements, including engaging more staff with industry experience and technical expertise as required

budget and resourcing to ensure that it is adequately positioned to meet its stated goals and objectives.

Recommendation 9

3.136

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government define Australian sovereignty as it relates to the development of Australian space capability to ensure that Australia’s space related interests are promoted and protected.

Recommendation 10

3.137

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government identify in consultation with the Australian space industry particular national space capabilities that can be designed, built and delivered by industry.

Recommendation 11

3.138

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government consider ways to encourage stronger commercially attractive partnerships between global space primes and Australian businesses. These strategies should seek to engage and prioritise those companies that can demonstrate a commitment to growing the Australian space sector.

3.139

The Committee recommends that this includes establishing a program to assist SMEs connect with primes and navigate the broader global space industry more generally.

Recommendation 12

3.140

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government pursue policy settings that incentivise private sector investment in industry development including such things as matched funding or co-funding, taxation incentives, and public and private partnerships.

Recommendation 13

3.141

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government expand support to SMEs to improve connections in global supply chains.

3.142

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government streamline access to funding mechanisms and increase efficiency of investment by reducing complexity and enhancing transparency.

Recommendation 14

3.143

The Committee recommends that space be identified as a key infrastructure priority area. It recommends a national assessment of Australia’s current and future space infrastructure requirements with particular emphasis on developing sovereign capability in identified areas.

3.144

This assessment should acknowledge the need for industry to access a range of infrastructure for research and development, and manufacture. It should build on the preliminary work set out by the SmartSat CRC.

3.145

The Committee recommends further consultation with Infrastructure Australia to establish whether it is best placed to undertake this work in consultation with industry.

Recommendation 15

3.146

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, in consultation with industry, examine the requirement to use international standards such as those used by the European Space Agency and NASA for all Commonwealth space procurements.

Recommendation 16

3.147

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government develop a specific ABS classification to provide a more accurate picture of the size of the Australian space industry and to help track its value and growth.

Recommendation 17

3.148

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government foster the growth of Earth Observation from space and data processing capabilities that benefit Australia across ever sector of the economy.

Recommendation 18

3.149

The Committee recommends that the Australia Government identify other off-earth opportunities in partnership with international agencies.

3.150

The Committee recommends that consideration be given to developing a mechanism to identify and develop innovative space proposals such space solar power technology in Australia.

Recommendation 19

3.151

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government undertake broader industry engagement to:

create awareness in adjacent sectors of opportunities to participate in the Australian space industry

identify relevant skills and expertise within adjacent industries that could be transferable to the Australian space industry

3.152

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government better promote and engage non-STEM industries such as law, economics, finance, business and advisory services to ensure that these sectors are well equipped to support and maintain the operation of the Australian space industry and provide a specialist service in an international market.

Recommendation 20

3.153

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government examine ways to better support and coordinate space medicine research, training and development to ensure that the translational benefits of aerospace medicine can be applied on Earth.

Recommendation 21

4.77

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government consider a national launch plan or strategy to support a sovereign capability in Australia including the investment, infrastructure and expertise required. This includes development of policies that preference Australian launch capability to support government space requirements.

Recommendation 22

4.78

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government give consideration to further reforms to the Space (Launch and Returns) Act 2018 and Rules 2019, in consultation with industry to ensure that regulatory provisions:

support the growth and competitiveness of the Australian domestic industry

ensure the safe and responsible management of the space environment

are in line with the regulations used by similar space countries.

It is recommended that further engagement be undertaken with government and industry to determine the most suitable regulatory changes to best benefit growth and investment. Consideration may be given to the Adelaide Law School supplementary submission given to the inquiry.

Recommendation 23

4.79

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government give consideration to further suspending or amending the Australian launch permit application fees to ensure that Australian businesses are not financially or commercially disadvantaged, and remain competitive with other space countries.

Recommendation 24

4.80

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government establish dedicated and effective industry engagement mechanisms to guide stakeholders through the application and regulatory processes. This includes designated staff within the Australian Space Agency to work with industry, and the development of publicly available guidance documents.

Recommendation 25

5.65

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government continue its investment in sovereign situational space awareness and situational domain awareness capability including the infrastructure to support it.

Recommendation 26

5.66

The Committee recommends that the Australia Government take a lead role internationally in implementing the Long Term Sustainability Guidelines for the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.

Recommendation 27

5.67

The Committee recommends that Australian regulators prioritise post-mission disposal, debris-neutral missions plans, and organisational capacity in identifying viable space projects.

Recommendation 28

5.68

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government continue to participate in international forums to:

clarify how international law impacts commercial activities in space

lead the development of enforceable and internationally agreed norms of behaviour in outer space.

Recommendation 29

5.69

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government examine the feasibility of more green technology in the Australian space sector, and ways to ensure that the industry is not contributing to an already congested environment.

Recommendation 30

6.89

The Committee recommends that the Australia Government prioritise and promote the importance of space science as fundamental to innovation and growth of the Australian space sector. This includes:

specific reference to space science in the Australian Space Agency’s Charter and Australia’s Civil Space Strategy;

examining options for better coordination of space science across Commonwealth and state and territory agencies; and

identifying a set of national space science research and innovation priorities to enable stakeholders to make informed decisions regarding investment and research and development.

Recommendation 31

6.90

The Committee recommends that the Australia government review the model for research and industry collaboration to ensure that it fosters the best outcomes to support innovation, development of space capability, and industry growth.

6.91

This includes access by academia and industry to cross sector research funding streams and programs.

Recommendation 32

6.92

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government examine options to protect the intellectual property security of stakeholders within the Australian space industry to ensure that collaboration between academics, industry and government can occur in a secure environment.

6.93

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government consider options for industry to commercialise publicly funded research and development and intellectual property creation in a competitive environment.

Recommendation 33

7.80

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government develop a community education and outreach program to promote the diversity of employment, careers and opportunities within the space sector.

7.81

This campaign should also target underrepresented groups within the space industry to help increase diversity across the sector.

Recommendation 34

7.82

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government promote the value of STEM through primary, secondary and tertiary years to ensure a continued pipeline of specialist and technical expertise is available to support and sustain the Australian space sector.

Recommendation 35

7.83

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government examines options to improve education to industry pathways within the sector.

Recommendation 36

7.84

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government introduce a program to better connect adjacent industries with transferrable skills to the space industry.

Recommendation 37

7.85

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government examine ways to maximise the benefits of rural and regional Australia to foster the growth of the Australian space industry.

Recommendation 38

7.86

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government examine options to improve engagement and relocation of international workers and commercial enterprise to the space industry.

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List of Recommendations

About this inquiry

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