In a nutshell, there are only 20 Million people in this entire continent. If a piece of space debris, say a re-entering Skylab, were to land here one night, odds are nobody would be hurt, and maybe nobody would notice.

Similarly, the chance of a NEO hitting anything important here is pretty slim, compared to populous and heavily developed countries like USA, Europe, and large parts of Asia.

I grant that we are vulnerable along the eastern seaboard to Tsunami from a Pacific strike, but at the end of the day we don't have enough science budget to do this, or the political inclination to be bothered with space.

It's a shame, but it's the reality. If southern hemisphere observations are important for NEO watchers in the northern hemisphere (and I believe they are), then the northern hemisphere folks have to be prepared to pay 100% of the budget for an observing programme down under. At that point, you'll be welcomed with open arms.

There will be some modest support from the local science community and from local/State government, but not from the Federal government, and not from the Science Research Council.