Tasmania’s unique position as the gateway to Antarctica has been valued at $185.9 million a year, a new report has found.
The Contribution of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Sector to the Tasmanian Economy 2017-18 report by Wells Economic Analysis found the sector supports 855 full-time equivalent local jobs, this is a massive increase of 99 jobs in the past 12 months.
The report also confirmed that in 2017-18, expenditure outside of wages contributed more than $51 million to the Tasmanian economy. Impressively, this excludes large capital items such as spending on the new icebreaker RSV Nuyina.
In total, the gross value-added of Antarctic and Southern Ocean organisations and their private sector suppliers in Tasmania is currently worth more than $110 million a year.
The value of staff supporting the Australian Antarctic Division and Bureau of Meteorology is also substantial, with the report finding expeditioners and delegates spent around $6.5 million in 2017-18, with expeditioners spending a combined 7,000 nights in Hobart.
The results of the report illustrates the importance of the Antarctic sector to the Tasmanian economy, and demonstrates the value of the unique industry, science and government collaboration for which the Tasmanian Antarctic Gateway is well known internationally.
The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to growing the value of the sector through our Antarctic Gateway Strategy, and we are already seeing results, with the Strategy driving growth in the sector.
Tasmania has a unique competitive advantage due to our proximity to the Antarctic, and the sector continues to be an important contributor to our economy, and as the report suggests, this is likely to continue to expand over the next five years.
A summary of the report is available at: https://www.stategrowth.tas.gov.au/business/sectors/antarctic_and_southern_ocean