Wagga could soon be home to a new space agency after councillors made calls to investigate ways the city could get involved with the federal government’s review into Australia’s interstellar capabilities.
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Councillor Dan Hayes was first to make the proposal at Monday night’s meeting, one that was unanimously supported by all other councillors.
He said the city’s participation came down to the question of “why not us?” and asked people consider the space agency’s wider community benefit.
“I know it may sound odd on the face of it but imagine some of the things involved with the process: manufacturing, jobs and money attached to it, the intellectual capital around the uni that may be able to be utilised,” he said.
“It wouldn’t involve decentralisation or destabilisation because the industry would be starting from scratch.
Cr Hayes noted the region’s land capacity, defence services and Bomen industrial area could act as a prime offering for any proposals.
Let’s not think that we’re too small for this. Let’s show an interest and let’s go find out more about it.
- Councillor Dan Hayes
Committee 4 Wagga chairwoman Judy Galloway thinks the space agency would be a good idea. However she said more details and further information would be needed before anything comes to fruition.
“If you could get the three tiers of government behind it and the strategy developed and we’re an appropriate site, I’m sure it would be wonderful for the community,” she said.
“There needs to be a lot of planning and development to go into something like this.”
Councillor Vanessa Keenan supported the idea and said that “any step toward innovation and being involved at an international level” would be welcomed by the city.
“If Wagga can play a role in the space agency’s establishment, that is something we should definitely embrace,” she said.
“Wagga has always had an interest in astronomy over the years and the university is something that supports that.
“I think we’re in a good position where we’re a large regional centre; we have the infrastructure in the city and we also have the big skies as well. We have all of the services and qualities of a metro or capital city but in a regional and affordable place.”
