The crackle of the radio, a message in the evening sky

710. Mr S.R. HILL to the Minister for Science and Innovation:

Can the minister inform the house of the progress of Australia’s bid to host the square-kilometre array, the biggest radio telescope ever built, and its importance in the mid-west?

Mr F.M. LOGAN replied:

I thank the member for Geraldton for the question. I put on the record my thanks to the member for Geraldton for the role he plays as the chair of the coordinating committee for the Mileura station radio astronomy park and for all the effort he puts into coordinating the number of departments and scientists involved in that project. I thank him very much.

Although all eyes will be on the Australian Football League grand final in Melbourne on Saturday, another one looms on the horizon, but it is a slightly different one. In under six hours we will learn whether the world’s astronomy community has short-listed Australia to host the square-kilometre array, the world’s largest radio telescope. [...] Believe it or not, the world in which we live - I can see it in the wireless network in this place - is bombarded with radio frequencies from wireless networks, radio telephones, radios, televisions, cars and trucks. The whole world is bombarded with various radio frequencies, and to listen in to deep space, and to research the big bang theory and how the universe was created, a radio telescope is required that is not interfered with by radio frequencies.

Mr T. Buswell: Will it pick up the black hole between your ears?

Mr F.M. LOGAN: It is funny that the member for Vasse should say that, because I was just about to say exactly the same thing. I even have it written in my notes. The member beat me to it; well done! We have to get up early to catch him!

On a serious note, for the development of the science industry in Western Australia and for the world to take Western Australia and, more importantly, Australia seriously in the world of science, this project is phenomenal. [...] All the information will be processed by a computer that is so big that it has not even been invented yet! It is enormous.

Several members interjected.

Mr F.M. LOGAN: I have been told - not that I am aware of this level of computing power - that it is about 13 teraflops, which is pretty big - apparently. The possibility is that Geraldton could be the home of this supercomputer. It would put Western Australia on the map, not only in industrial development but also in the science industry, the information and communications technology industry and the computer industry. In particular, it will put Geraldton on the map. As we watch those stars in Melbourne over the weekend, Treasurer - Judd, Cousins and the rest of them - we should remember that we could be looking at other stars in deep space in a few years and we could find out the meaning of life and whether that black hole in the head of the member for Vasse will be resolved.

The SPEAKER: I am not sure whether the word “teraflops” is unparliamentary, but I will check and get back to the minister!

Subject: Square-Kilometre Array - Progress of Bid [Legislative Assembly]

Date: 28 September 2006

Hansard reference: pp. 6931c - 6932a [online (pdf)]

Tags: state government, parliament, perth, wa

Case study

Hon TOM STEPHENS: [...] I do not want to go back to the charcoal and scroll days. I hope there are no Luddites among us who are opposed to new technology. I have been inspired by the leadership of our Presiding Officer, who has made a computer available to himself. I would be concerned if the House were denying the rest of us access to that technology. I have heard that a member who was recently looking for a bookcase in the Parliament was told that there were no funds for bookcases and that if he wanted one he would have to bring in his own. He did.

Hon Derrick Tomlinson: Why would he want a bookcase when there are no books?

Hon TOM STEPHENS: He might want to read a book! We cannot have members reading books! Books are dangerous! They have been responsible for ideas creeping through society! I have heard that someone responsible for these funds for computers has said that funds cannot be allocated to members of Parliament for computers because the members who know how to use them will have an advantage over those who do not.

Hon Graham Edwards: On that basis, I think we should get rid of all our foot heaters!

Subject: Adjournment Debate - Members of Parliament Computers [Legislative Council - Adjournment Debate]

Date: 20 March 1997

Hansard reference: pp. 692 [online (pdf)]

Tags: wa, state government, perth, parliament

You know you're going to at least search for him in the contact directory now

Mr A.J. SIMPSON: [...] I also mentioned that people are able to contact me via MSN. The idea behind using MSN was that it was the latest way of getting in touch with people. I can also be contacted by SMS, which is how many kids communicate. It is kind of a shame, because people will probably lose their communication skills by using SMS. The beauty of e-mail and SMS is that one can choose whether to answer a message today or tomorrow. It is not like the phone ringing and having to talk to someone. That is the way kids communicate these days. I thought that if I could provide this service, I might be able to capture more of the youth market as a member of Parliament. It would enable them to talk to me and me to talk to them and hopefully answer their questions. I probably average a dozen messages a week. Some weeks I get a lot and other weeks I get only two or three. I am sometimes asked straightforward questions. One kid asked me the other day about how to get a skate park in his area. [...] After about a 20-minute conversation, this kid knew a lot more about politics, how the system works and how to chase up getting a skate park. He probably cannot vote for me for another four or five years, but that is beside the point. I think he was happy to do that.

Mr A.D. McRae: He would be a Labor voter anyway.

Mr A.J. SIMPSON: I do not know. If he is using the Internet and telecommunications, he is probably more likely to be a Liberal voter.

Mr M.P. Murray: Do you know the difference between a Labor voter and a computer? With computers you only have to punch in the information once.

Subject: Criminal Code Amendment (Cyber Predators) Bill 2005 [Legislative Assembly - Motion]

Date: 8 November 2005

Hansard reference: pp. 6891b - 6907a [online (pdf)]

Tags: wa, state government, perth, parliament, msn