Documents relating to decision not to renew membership with the European Southern Observatory (ESO)

Written by Claude Haiku 5.5 from the extracted text on 14 Oct 2026. It can miss or misread redacted and scanned pages. Check the source before relying on it.

The release contains three documents relating to Australia's decision not to pursue membership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO). These are a letter from Minister Tim Ayres to ESO Director General Xavier Barcons dated 2 April 2026, ESO's reply dated 30 April 2026 recording its disappointment and requesting a nominated official to liaise on the end of the Strategic Partnership, and a set of internal defensive Q&As marked OFFICIAL: Sensitive. The Q&As cite costs and benefits, alternative investment priorities and budget pressures as reasons. They state the $129.2 million Strategic Partnership runs until its mid-2027 expiry, and that Australia has invested about $554.0 million in the Square Kilometre Array since 2021, with a further $182.0 million committed to 2029–30. After the Partnership ends, Australian astronomers could collaborate on foreign-led ESO projects but could not lead them. The Q&As also dispute media claims about Horizon Europe access.