News & Views item - August 2010

 

 

Our Future: Hobbled by Claytons Science Policies. (August 19, 2010)

The Coalition has yesterday announced its science policy titled The Coalition’s Plan for Real Action on Innovation, Industry, Science and Research. It has announced in its 8-page document that it will commit $254.75 million over the forward estimates towards specified industry, innovation and scientific initiatives.

 

However, "of this funding, $176.4 million will come from the reallocation of existing [textile, clothing and footwear] TCF assistance" together with $25.5 million for "TCF strategic industry scheme", leaving $52.85 million over four years that it promises to invest in what it determines to be worthwhile industry, innovation and scientific initiatives (see table below) which will no doubt gladden that hearts and energise the minds of those involved in the furthering of Australian science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

 

SCOPE = Science Connections Programme

 

Commenting on what can be determined regarding science, research and innovation policies promulgated by the major parties the chief executive officer of the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies (FASTS), Anna-Maria Arabia, said: 

FASTS submitted 23 questions to each of the major and minor Parties so that our 60,000 members could weigh-up the prevailing attitudes towards science and innovation before their cast their votes on Saturday. While Federal Labor stated that it had increased investment in science and innovation by 34 per cent since 2007 and had ‘no intention of taking Australia backwards’, the Coalition referred to their record under the Menzies Government to illustrate their commitment to funding research.  And while the Coalition could say they will ‘continue to ensure science and innovation is adequately funded’, they could not ‘commitment to fund a review of Australian science institutions nor substantially increase funding for scientific research’. In terms of research and development The Greens propose to advocate for increased expenditure to at least the OECD average of GDP.

 Disappointingly, although 80 per cent of Australians think science education is absolutely essential or very important to the national economy, all Australian political parties failed to recognise its economic importance in their questionnaire responses.

Without science and research the National Broadband Network would be a pipedream, Australians would have poorer health, and the mining industry wouldn’t be booming – all things that impact on the national economy.

 In Australia there is still a tendency to see science and innovation as a cost rather than an investment. We know that investment in scientific research and innovation pays dividends. So much so, the OECD has recognised that innovation is a key to emerging from the downturn. We now need the next PM, Treasurer, Finance and Science Ministers to do the same.

 On the bright side, the major Parties have committed to Powering Ideas: An Innovation Agenda for the 21st Century to guide their policy formulation. Unfortunately not all of the parties provided an answer to each question so there are some issues which our scientists remain in the dark on.

And Professor Bob Williamson speaking for the Australian Academy of Science comments:

The Australian Academy of Science is disappointed that neither of the major parties has taken the opportunity to offer a serious commitment to Australian science during this election campaign.  We need to see a large increase in Australian research expenditure to an achievable level of 3% of GDP to match similar countries worldwide, which means better incentives for industry and no cuts of Government funding to the ARC, NHMRC and CSIRO.  The coalition statement, issued today, has some welcome features (in particular the commitment to International Science Linkages, and to increasing public awareness of Australian science), but these are a drop in the bucket when it comes to realising the full potential of Australian research to drive Australian prosperity.

The coalition government under John Howard was generous to Australian medical research.  The current Rudd/Gillard government has increased research expenditure, especially through the Universities, by 34%.  This protects research into our environment, alternative energy, water resources, health care, innovative agriculture and biosecurity.  During this campaign, neither party has offered a vision and funding to inject new ideas, people and vigour into our scientific research centres in Universities, CSIRO and industry.  There is still time to do this, and the Academy, in common with all of those who care about Australia’s future as an advanced economy and society, hopes that we will be presented with science policies and commitments that take us forward rather than, at best, keeping us where we are at present.