The question as to whether or not our federal government will invest in a “space sector” has been hotly debated in the last few years. In 2023, the budget for the Australian Space Agency was significantly reduced, planned National Space Mission for Earth Observation was cancelled, and investment in several launch sites across the country was cut. At the same time, it was unclear as to whether space technologies would fall under AUKUS plans, or under the National Reconstruction Fund.

But why does any of this matter? Why should we be concerned about investing in space technologies at all, when there are so many pressing issues on Earth, and at home in Australia?

The missing piece in most of the debates has been a clearer explanation of how space technologies and infrastructure form a major part of our country’s dependencies, our critical infrastructure, and our priorities on an individual and national level. Climate change, disaster response, agriculture, mining, urban planning and housing, water and coastal region health, fisheries, Indigenous land and water management, telecommunications and internet access in remote, rural and regional areas, and geopolitical stability in Asia and the Indo-Pacific – all of these issues depend in large part on space-based services and infrastructure.

Join Dr Cassandra Steer, Chair of the Australian Centre for Space Governance ‪@ANUchannel‬, who outlines some good news stories about how much “space” Australia already does, and some concerning stories about the risks we face due to our foreign and commercial dependencies.

00:00:00 Introduction
00:04:59 Lecture Start
00:56:03 Q & A
01:21:33 Vote of Thanks

Presented by the Royal Society of Victoria for the Inspiring Victoria program. A short summary is also available at    • Space To The Rescue: Australia's Depe...  .