News & Views item - November 2007

 

Challengers for Australia's Research and Development. (November 16, 2007)

In the fourth of its background statements in an attempt to influence Australia's parliamentarians and would-be parliamentarians the Group of Eight has presented its take on what the nation is confronting to catch up with its cohort with regard to supporting research and development.

 

Below we reproduce their opening statement followed by the data they present in support of the contention that Australia has a way to go in catching up, or "what comes after the resources boom flattens out".

 

Despite solid growth in Australian R&D over the last five years there is no room for complacency about the future because: