Greens plan to save and expand Tasmanian Antarctic science jobs
Greens plan to save and expand Tasmanian Antarctic science jobs | Australian Greens Skip to main content Search Get Involved Join Donate Our plan Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action Policy principles & aims Our team Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Media releases Take action Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Our movement About the Greens Become a member Jobs Green Magazine All news Get Involved Join Donate Search Our plan Toggle Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action Policy principles & aims Our team Toggle Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Media releases Take action Toggle Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Our movement Toggle About the Greens Become a member Jobs Green Magazine All news Greens plan to save and expand Tasmanian Antarctic science jobs 2025-03-21 Renewed Antarctic science funding is urgently needed to stop an exodus of Antarctic researchers from the University of Tasmania and prevent the loss of dozens more jobs critical to Australia’s Antarctic and global climate science programs.
Staff and research programs at the Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science (ACEAS) are at imminent risk due to terminating funding, which has already resulted in the Centre commencing a “wind-down” process. The University of Tasmania, including the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), has been lobbying the Australian government for years to provide long-term funding certainty for critical science programs but so far they have received nothing, and it's now one minute to midnight.
These researchers and their families are a critical part of the Tasmanian community and its global science reputation and cannot afford to be lost. The Australian Greens election commitments are paid for by savings and revenue measures including making billionaires and big corporations pay their fair share of tax. From this revenue the Greens are committing $50m over the next five years to restore ongoing funding to the ACEAS to keep jobs in Tasmania and expand its science programs, capacity and capabilities.
We will also be pushing the government to release funding details for the long-awaited Australian Antarctic Science Decadal Strategy 2025–2035, which will give all stakeholders the certainty they need to continue their critical research. Quotes attributable to Greens Senator for Tasmania, Nick McKim: “These jobs are critical to understanding climate change, to the Tasmanian economy and community, and our reputation as a global leader in climate and Antarctic science.” “The major parties love to cut ribbons on Antarctic projects, but when it comes time to invest in people and critical science programs they are nowhere to be seen." “Labor’s failure to commit funding is eroding Tasmania’s position as a premier Antarctic research location, and devastating scientists who are faced with having to relocate their work and their families." “Labor should use next week’s budget to fund the shortfall and if they don’t, they should make an election commitment to do so.” “The ACEAS has supplied over half of the scientists currently on board the RSV Nuyina’s maiden scientific voyage, studying the impacts of climate change on the Denman Glacier.
Sadly, right now we have to assume this will be their last voyage." “There is a very real risk that RSV Nuyina could end up a research ghost ship unless we properly fund Antarctic scientists and the research institutions that support them.” “What’s the point of having one of the worlds best Antarctic ice breakers and floating science platforms if we lose the scientific capacity to properly utilise it?" Quotes attributable to Greens spokesperson for Science, Steph Hodgins-May: “Antarctica and the Southern Ocean play a significant role in regulating global weather patterns and studying them is critical to understanding our planet's rapidly changing climate." “World-record temperature jumps, instability in the East Antarctic Ice sheet, unprecedented low levels of marginal sea ice and devastating losses of biodiversity recently observed in Antarctica means there has never been a more important time for our nation to invest in Antarctic science." “Yet at a time when our government should be investing more than ever in Antarctic science, the recently released Australian Antarctic Science Decadal Strategy 2025–2035 appears to be nothing more than a glossy document with no detail on the implementation and funding models necessary to support ongoing long-term science work in Antarctica." “This is typical of Labor’s half-arsed approach to committing to any real reform this term of parliament – including environmental law reform.
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