Senator COLBECK (1:31 PM) —I rise to make a contribution to the Australian Astronomical Observatory Bill 2009. This bill and the Australian Astronomical Observatory (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2009 are a package which provide for the Anglo-Australian Telescope Board to be dissolved and for the establishment of the Australian Astronomical Observatory, the AAO, within the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research.

The Anglo-Australian Telescope Board was established in 1969 when the Australian and United Kingdom governments entered into a treaty to fund and operate a large optical telescope in Australia. For the past 40 years the AAO has operated world-class optical and infrared observing facilities that have allowed Australian and British astronomers to become world leaders in astronomical research and the development of innovative telescope instrumentation. The AAO has also taken a lead role in formulating long-term plans for astronomy in Australia and the United Kingdom.

The AAO facilities comprise the Siding Spring National Observatory at Coonabarabran in New South Wales and also a headquarters and instrumentation laboratory at Epping in New South Wales. It is there that the Australian-Anglo telescope has been utilised to find 25 planets around other stars, has helped to determine the cause of giant cosmic explosions, also known as gamma rays bursts, and has made precise measurements of the amounts of dark energy and dark matter in the universe.

Passing these bills will herald a new area for astronomy in our nation, with the United Kingdom formally withdrawing from the partnership as of 1 July 2010 and the Australian government taking sole responsibility for what will be now known as the Australian Astronomical Observatory. The coalition has a proud record of supporting science and innovation and technology and we understand the important role science plays in adding to our knowledge about our world and solving problems and improving our lives, often in ways that were never foreseen or dreamt possible. It was the former Howard government that entered into a treaty with the United Kingdom in 2005 to facilitate the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from this program and the development of Australia’s national program in its place. We are very fortunate to have this facility in Australia, and on behalf of the coalition I am pleased to be supporting these two bills which will facilitate the establishment of a truly national observatory for Australia.