Alison Byrnes (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The Illawarra is a powerhouse of innovation and research. We are a region that hosts a mighty manufacturing industry, with a thriving port at Port Kembla. We've got magnificent beaches and subtropical rainforests and, of course, a world-class university in the University of Wollongong. The University of Wollongong, and universities broadly, play such an important role in our society, not only as educational institutions but as incubators for innovation and research—solving problems, inventing new solutions, bringing economic opportunities and even saving lives.

Labor has always been the party that supports research. We understand the power of education to change lives. We support our schools, our universities and our TAFEs because we know that Australians are great innovators.

I can think of no greater example of the creativity, intelligence and passion that goes into innovation than our own local champion Professor Justin Yerbury AM. Justin is a professor of neurodegenerative diseases at the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, at the University of Wollongong. Justin's family history of motor neurone disease and the loss of his mother, his grandmother and an aunt inspired him to learn more about the illness. He enrolled in science at the University of Wollongong and then pursued his doctorate.

However, while conducting his research, Justin was also diagnosed with the disease. But Justin persevered with his research, and now, six years later, he has been awarded the 2022 University of New South Wales Eureka Prize for scientific research. He will also be getting the keys to the City of Wollongong. While Justin works to overcome his progressively worsening condition, his research has challenged prevailing thought about the pathology of motor neurone disease and is driving new research into the causes of cell dysfunction.

Justin's story of innovation and research is just one of many to emerge from the University of Wollongong. With our government's commitment of $10 million to build an Energy Future Skills Centre at the university, as well as $2.5 million for a renewable energy training facility at Wollongong TAFE, I am sure there will be many more stories of innovation to come for our region.

Brilliant and innovative minds deserve the government's support, because research and development not only bring opportunities to improve lives and societies but also bring economic opportunities for our people. The universities that educate and nurture these minds also deserve support. Our universities suffered greatly during the pandemic: 40,000 jobs were lost in the sector, hundreds of courses were cut and we lost thousands of researchers. Similarly, international students were told to go home by the previous government. These losses have hurt real people and the communities where they live and work.

In addition to this, those opposite increasingly sought to politicise and interfere in research grants. There were significant delays in the announcement of outcomes, and the humanities, arts and social sciences were targeted. The coalition's interest in supporting Australian innovation has been patchy at best. Since 2013, Australia has fallen six places in the Global Innovation Index; we are now ranked 25. The steepest decline, from rank 20 to 25, was under the Morrison government. Since 2018, we have fallen two places in the World Economic Forum's Global Competitive Index 4.0, and Australia ranks 91 in Harvard University's Atlas of Economic Complexity.

But Labor is committed to education, we are committed to research and we are committed to innovation. Labor made it clear before the election that we support the University Research Commercialisation Action Plan, and nothing has changed—but we will do more. Labor has committed to 2,000 Startup Year loans. These loans will help final-year students to bring their ideas to life. Working with higher education institutions, entrepreneurs and investors will be better placed to identify opportunities for commercialisation of university research. Labor also has the $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund. This fund will turn science into jobs through co-investment, loans, equity and guarantees. It's a nation-changing investment.

Under those opposite, our international rankings have slipped, but Labor knows that, with a government that actually cares about research and development, Australia can do great things. And with brilliant minds, like Professor Justin Yerbury's, and world-class institutions like the University of Wollongong supporting them, combined with Labor's policies and values, research and innovation in Australia will be well placed to solve the problems of today and tomorrow.

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