Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for her question. National Science Week is a celebration of the contribution that science makes to the community and the contribution the community makes to science. This year’s festival boasts some 800 events and is expected to attract over one million participants right across the country. The Australian government is proud to be investing $1.2 million in National Science Week this year. That money is being used to support strategic events around the country, the work of state and territory coordinating committees in developing programs and school based activities through the Australian Science Teachers Association. It is essential that we build an awareness and acceptance of science if we want to make Australia more productive and more prosperous. However, I would have thought that in recent days, given the debate I have heard in this chamber, there was a complete antipathy to the principles of scientific inquiry on the other side. We will need a scientifically literate citizenry who can make informed decisions about scientific questions and make effective use of technologies and scientific outputs, a citizenry who are ready to support scientific endeavour. It is a pity we could not get the Liberal Party to be more engaged on these questions.

The Australian government demonstrated its support for science in the May budget, which included $1.1 billion for a new Super Science initiative and an extra $703 million for university research, much of which will support work in scientific disciplines. The Super Science initiative will concentrate on Australia’s strength in space science and astronomy and in marine and climate science.