Coalition and Greens combine to secure inquiry into Antarctic Division funding

The motion, which was jointly proposed by the opposition's environment spokesman Jonathan Duniam and Tasmania Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson, passed on the voices. It refers the AAD's funding issues and questions about potential job, science, and reputational impacts to the Senate's Environment and Communications References Committee.

This has happened despite the Albanese government insisting there have been no cuts to the AAD's $804 million budget and no job cuts. It has also happened as Antarctic sea ice falls to a record low this year as a result of rising global temperatures.

"Labor's denials of reductions to vital Antarctic science funding will be exposed through this committee process," Senator Duniam said in statement.

"The inquiry will provide for detailed scrutiny of which Antarctic science projects, programs and research activities will be hit, and why - and will allow people within the Antarctic community concerned about these cuts to have their say to the Parliament."

The Greens said it is a highly distressing time for AAD staff, including some of Australia's best scientists.

"It's time to put politics aside and get to the bottom of why the AAD is short $25 million and has to cut scheduled science programs this summer," Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said in a statement.

READ MORE:

Earlier this month, Antarctic Division head Emma Campbell informed staff in emails that the department's operating budget would reduce by 16 per cent in the 2023-2024 financial year, and it needed to manage with less, and planned activities would need to be trimmed.

The AAD, which has bases in Antarctica and headquarters in Kingston, Tasmania, sits under the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

The government has explained that the AAD's internal budget had to be managed as the "significant" funding for the commissioning of Australia's Antarctic icebreaker, RSV Nuyina, had been spent.

"There are no cuts to the $804 million budget for the Antarctic Division," Tasmanian Labor senator Carol Brown said on Monday.

"The government has also been given assurances by the Australian Antarctic Division that there is no plan for redundancies."

The motion by Senator Duniam and Senator Whish-Wilson states the "widespread view, including among numerous Antarctic science experts, that funding cuts of this scale and nature are catastrophic for Australia."

The motion proposed that the committee probes the ramifications for Australia's international commitments and obligations, which AAD projects, programs and research activities could be cut or terminated from a list of at least 56, as well as the consequences for Australia's geopolitical and strategic international interests.

It also asks that the committee investigates the complications for the Australian Antarctic Science Strategic Plan, the Australian Antarctic Strategy, the 20-year Action Plan, and "the extra $804.4 million Antarctic funding package delivered by the Morrison Government in early 2022."

The committee is due to report back by November 30.