Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My electorate of Melbourne has one of the highest densities of scientific research facilities in the country, from biomedical to energy and everything else in between. Science, technology and innovation are crucial to Australia's current and future prosperity. Science underpins many of our existing industries, from manufacturing to mining and agricultural. And as we make the shift from a pollution-generating economy to an economy based on clean energy, science and technology will be central to this transformation.

There was a time when support for science was a shared value in this parliament. Unfortunately, it seems that we are moving into a time, at least in this parliament, where support for science is waning. On the one hand, we have the coalition, which claims to be supportive of science, including climate science, but whose members, including the Leader of the Opposition, spend much of their time attempting to denigrate and undermine that same science.

On the other hand we have the government, which again professes strong support for science but, as reflected in this budget, is not willing to step up and fully support the science community with adequate funding. First we had the spectre of possible cuts to health and medical research funding, which the Greens opposed, backed by an enormous community campaign led by medical scientists from my electorate of Melbourne. Thankfully the campaign was a success and the government saw reason and did not go ahead with the cuts.

But other parts of the science and research budget were in fact cut; for example, $33.4 million from the Cooperative Research Centres program and $20.7 from the Collaborative Research Networks. The budget also contained no funding for the International Science Linkages program, which will run out of money in June. Many scientists are concerned that the government's failure to support the linkages program, which supports collaboration between Australian and international researchers, could be read as Australia shutting the door on the rest of the world.

According to the Age, the secretary for science policy at the Australian Academy of Science, Bob Williamson, said the linkages program could continue on as little as $10 million to $15 million a year, which would keep Australian researchers in the global scientific loop. He said:

The scientific links that we make with colleagues in other countries are the glue that maintains Australia's connections and prestige in the rest of the world. Without a linkage program ... our scientists will not be as respected, will not be able to collaborate and will not win a place at research forums internationally.

Professor Williamson said that while there were collaboration agreements with China and India, Australia would suffer from a narrowing of focus.

It is not enough to profess a support for science, research and innovation unless we are prepared to back it up with funding. And the funding needs to be secure and into the long term and not rely on the vicissitudes of budgets from year to year.

My fellow Victorian the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research has been very active in the last few weeks in condemning the Victorian Baillieu Government for being short-sighted in its failure to fund the Australian synchrotron based in Melbourne. The synchrotron is a world-class research facility that shoots intense beams of light used for scientific experiments. Professor Andrew Peele, the head of science for the synchrotron, says thousands of scientists use the facility for anything from medical research to forensics. He says that although they have only been operating for four years, they have already 'achieved wonderful results across hundreds, literally hundreds, of different areas of research'. Despite this the Victorian state government has failed to guarantee any more funding beyond June next year.

I agree with the minister in his criticisms of the Baillieu government for not backing one of Australia's largest pieces of science infrastructure. They deserve to be condemned. Like their federal coalition colleagues there seem to be luddites and flat-earthers amongst them when it comes to supporting science. But my question for the minister is: given the state government is not willing to back the synchrotron, why haven't you? Why hasn't the minister been able to ensure this important facility stays open, by upping the federal funding to the project? It is not enough to point the finger. One must be prepared to put one's money where one's mouth is. It is too important to play politics with this project.

The Greens believe science and innovation are central to the future of our country and our ability to meet the challenges we face. Our researchers and scientists are top class but they need the confidence and backing of all sides of parliament and proper funding from the government.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! It being 8 pm the debate is interrupted. The House stands adjourned until 9 am tomorrow.

House adjourned at 20:00