It was an eye-watering figure that left some wondering whether it was a typo.
But newly released documents have confirmed that Australian taxpayers spent $19 million on a proposed Antarctic runway that was never built.
Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) director Emma Campbell fronted the Senate inquiry into the division's funding in November.
She was questioned by Labor senator Catryna Bilyk over the amount of money that had been spent on consultants for all projects across the division.
The exchange went like this:
Senator Bilyk: One of the questions I asked was how much money was spent on consultants for the following financial years, and I went back to 2019-2020. In 2020-2021, the answer you've given me is $20,622,637. Is that a typo, or is that correct?
Ms Campbell: I asked that question as well; my understanding is that it's correct.
Senator Bilyk: Twenty million dollars on consultants? I understand you weren't in the position then, Ms Campbell, but can I get a breakdown of who the consultants were, the individual costs attributed to them and for what reasons they were needed?
Ms Campbell: Yes, we can take that on notice.
Recently released documents show the figure was correct.
In an answer to the question on notice, the AAD confirmed the amount, and released a detailed breakdown of the funding.
It reveals $19,456,205, the vast majority of those fees, was spent on consultancy for the Davis Aerodrome Project, a proposed paved runway near Australia's Davis research station — an idea that was conceived in 2018 by the Morrison government and then ditched by the same government in November 2021.
Loading...Australia only has an ice runway on Antarctica, the Wilkins Aerodrome.
Located 70 kilometres south-west of Australia's Casey research station, the aerodrome only operates for intercontinental flights at the beginning and end of summer, when ice temperatures are optimal for landing.
The Morrison Liberal government had hoped the addition of a paved runway would boost capabilities and benefit Australia's scientific activities and leadership in the region, by providing all-season access to the continent.
The project was criticised at the time for being environmentally damaging, unnecessary, and provocative towards China.
The idea was abandoned at the end of 2021 following "detailed environmental and economic assessments".
$1.7m on 'subject matter expertise'
According to the funding breakdown, just over $14 million went to infrastructure consulting firm AECOM Australia, for the provision of "technical design services" and "services to progress preparation of environmental documentation and approval", among other things.
Almost $1.7 million went to consultancy firm KPMG for "subject matter expertise". Black Square Engineering received $20,795 for "geotechnical and safety advice".
Security consultant Forcefield Services received almost $49,000 for a security risk assessment.
An AAD spokesperson said additional funding was received for the runway project.
"The AECOM work related to environmental documentation and approvals to ensure compliance with the EPBC Act and Antarctic Treaty Act.
"Both are complex pieces of work to ensure legislative requirements are met."
They went on to add that the AECOM and Black Square Engineering work were "not comparable", and that the skills provided by KMPG were "not available in house".
'They wanted to spend money on new toys'
Tasmanian Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson, who is on the committee looking into the AAD's funding, said the then-government put geopolitics ahead of science.
"The previous government's priorities were not spying, not climate science, not marine science in the Antarctic, their previous priorities were clear as daylight," Senator Whish-Wilson said.
"They wanted to spend money on infrastructure. They wanted to spend money on new toys, they didn't want to spend money on people.
"This is the ongoing cultural issue we have within the AAD that we'd like to see changed — we'd like to see this government prioritise climate science … we want to see them taking climate science seriously, at a time of climate emergency."
He said the $19 million could have been better spent.
"We know from the AAD responses to the Senate inquiry, they've cancelled or deferred or delayed at least 10 scientific programs this summer."
Liberal senator Jonathon Duniam, who is the chair of the committee, told the ABC the spending was justified.
"You can't have Antarctic science without the supporting infrastructure."
"The money allocated to the Davis Aerodrome project was designed to provide enhanced and ongoing support for our Antarctic researchers.
"You can't be critical of governments investing in our Antarctic science capabilities on the imaginary basis that there aren't also substantial costs to underpin and administer this work."
"The Coalition government's record is a 10-year funding plan and billions of dollars in investments for Australia's Antarctic program. Labor on the other hand have presided over $25 million in funding cuts."
After scrapping the runway, the former federal Liberal government announced $800 million funding over 10 years for Antarctica, focusing on strategic objectives and exploration, as well as climate research and environmental management.
The "$25 million in funding cuts" figure Senator Duniam quoted refers to the savings the division in July said it needed to find.
The funding controversy comes amid record low sea ice levels around Antarctica, with scientists worried they may not return to normal levels.
LoadingLoading...https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMib2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIzLTEyLTIzL2FudGFyY3RpYy1ydW53YXktc2hlbHZlZC1hZnRlci0xOS1taWxsaW9uLXNwZW50LW9uLWNvbnN1bHRhbnRzLzEwMzI1OTAyNtIBKGh0dHBzOi8vYW1wLmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvYXJ0aWNsZS8xMDMyNTkwMjY?oc=5
2023-12-22 21:29:30Z
CBMib2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIzLTEyLTIzL2FudGFyY3RpYy1ydW53YXktc2hlbHZlZC1hZnRlci0xOS1taWxsaW9uLXNwZW50LW9uLWNvbnN1bHRhbnRzLzEwMzI1OTAyNtIBKGh0dHBzOi8vYW1wLmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvYXJ0aWNsZS8xMDMyNTkwMjY
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Antarctic Davis Station runway shelved after $19 million spent on consultants and advice - ABC News"
Post a Comment