Macquarie Island research station closure reconsidered by Federal Government after backlash

Updated

After intense public pressure, the Federal Government has announced it is looking at reversing a decision to end Australia's year-round presence on Macquarie Island.

Earlier this week the Australian Antarctic Division revealed its plans to close its research station on the island from March, in favour of conducting research from field huts during summer only.

The division said the infrastructure required considerable investment to manage increased risks to occupational health and safety, environmental contamination and site exposure to ocean inundation.

Several researchers, climate scientists and groups including Birdlife Tasmania voiced their concerns over the decision.

Federal Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg told PM the decision could be reversed and it was his "clear intention" to keep it open.

"What the options may include [replacing] entirely some of the ageing infrastructure that is there, or [upgrading] the existing infrastructure," he said.

"I've had a closer look at it, and it's my strong feeling that we do need to have a permanent year-round presence and that's why I've asked my department to come back to me.

"We do need to upgrade it, that's the independent advice to government, and that was what was behind the initial announcement by the Antarctic division that they were going to move to a network of field huts.

"We must find that money and that's my job as the minister for the environment and energy."

Mr Frydenberg said he had spoken to key stakeholders, including the Bureau of Meteorology, the Premier of Tasmania and my federal parliamentary colleagues.

"Tasmania's Macquarie Island will remain an important part of the Government's climate science and Antarctic research agenda," he said.

Mr Frydenberg said the Government was already investing $1.9 billion for a new ice breaker and an additional $255 million in funding over the next ten years for Australia's Antarctic operations.

Greens welcome 'backflip'

Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson has welcomed the decision.

"This is a backflip from the Minister, but it's a good backflip," he said.

"I've got no doubt the Minister knew about the initial decision, [and] he's come under a lot of pressure from the community, from Tasmanian MPs, the Premier to his credit.

"Decisions without consultation, snap decisions made without any consultation, are not the way to go."

Senator Whish-Wilson said he wanted more federal funding for the island.

"What we need to do now is look at how we can modernise the infrastructure, we'd actually like to see a bigger commitment to our presence on Macquarie Island and the scientific studies that are occurring there, we'd like to see a presence around illegal fishing," he said.

Topics: academic-research, science-and-technology, macquarie-island-7151

First posted