The Opposition Spokesman for Science and Research, Industry and Innovation, Senator Kim Carr Releases a Series of Generalisations Which May Bode Well for R&D Depending on Labor being Prepared to Walk the Walk. (September 16, 2004)

    In a 600 word statement published by the Sydney Morning Herald today Senator Kim Carr presaged Labor's forthcoming policy on research and development but without giving anything away as to detail or just what resources it would earmark in support.

Key excerpts from Senator Carr's statement:

1. Labor promises to overhaul our research programs and instigate a new approach to training.

2. Training tomorrow's researchers is the key to national prosperity, both economic and social.

3. Labor plans a radical restructure of Australia's public research programs in order to develop a genuinely national R&D capacity. That includes a new approach to research training.

4. A Latham Labor government would build the next generation of researchers to meet acute shortages predicted for all disciplines, but especially the physical sciences... We know that 25 per cent of Australia's academic staff will retire within five years: younger PhD-holders must take their places, as well as contributing to social and industrial development.

5. Labor would encourage student mobility but would also ensure that better quality, more transparent information about universities'
   research strengths would be provided through a new research-quality and performance-assessment process.

6. Infrastructure funding for research training is inadequate and must be raised.

7. [Labor] would introduce an open, national, merit-based selection system... Labor would draw on recent experience in research program evaluation from the Australian National University, as well as the best international examples.

8. Labor's goal for our nation: to equal OECD average national research expenditure by 2015.

Not until the leader of the Labor opposition, Mark Latham, publishes "chapter and verse" will there be a tangible commitment. For example is Labor's goal for gross expenditure for research and development as a percentage of GDP the OECD mean of 2015 or 2004 and how does that compare with Canada's stated goal of being among the top five by 2010.

Finally, is the matter of any immediate consequence to the current Prime Minister, John Howard's generation?

    Not really.

To that of the generation immediate following?

    Perhaps somewhat more.

And the one following that?

    You can damn well bet it will.

The table below lists the latest published OECD figures (for the year 2000). On the basis of GERD/GDP Australia ranks 15^th and is 0.77% of GDP below the OECD mean (1.53% vs 2.25%).

    GERD - Gross Expenditure on Research and Development

    BERD - Business Expenditure on Research and Development

    HERD - Higher Education Research and Development

    GOVERD - Government Intramural Expenditure on R&D