Australia's 2013/14 Budget: A Science-Technology Snapshot. (May 15, 2013)

Science and Technology Australia has released its preliminary assessment of the federal budget for 2013-14 with the heading:

Science and Technology loses out in budget

The bulletin continues:

Tonight’s Federal Budget holds little for science and technology – with a reprieve for mid-career fellowships and critical infrastructure funding – but scant long-term vision on display.

Science & Technology Australia CEO Catriona Jackson said:
“It is pleasing to the see the Government has recognised the importance of both the mid-career fellowships offered by the Australian Research Council and supporting for big infrastructure with funding to operate and maintain critical projects.

“However these measures come in addition to the very damaging $3.8 billion in university cuts. The exact impacts are not yet known, as universities struggle to slash their budgets, but one thing is certain – the cuts will do real damage to Australia’s science and technology workforce and to national productivity and innovation.

“They will compromise the capacity of the nation to match it with the best – to keep pace with international advances in science and technology.

“The cuts will damage the quality of education and research universities can provide. This is bad for students, researchers and the communities they serve.

“Private sector knock-on effects will also result, with at the very least damage to the kind of collaborative work that tackles critical national and global issues.

“STA welcomes the one additional year of support for the ARC’s Future Fellowships, with around 150 five-year grants, worth $135 million available in 2014. But a longer term restoration must be seriously considered if we are to keep the nation’s outstanding mid-career researchers living and working in Australia.

“Also $185 million will go to fund two more years of support for major national research facilities, without which much cutting edge research simply cannot take place. The National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Scheme ended in 2011, leaving many huge projects in limbo. It is difficult to overstate how important sustained backing for these landmark facilities is. Without a long-term plan, up to $1 billion of Government investment is at risk,” Ms Jackson said.

Other Budget measures for science and technology include:

$12 million for CSIRO to trial the new research vessel the RV Investigator;
$8 million to cover costs at ANSTO’s OPAL nuclear reactor, and
$30.9 million over four years to boost marine research at AIMS.

Further examination of the Budget documents over coming days may reveal further important detail.

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www.budget.gov.au/

http://www.treasury.gov.au/Policy-Topics/BudgetingAndExpenditure