Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. I refer to an open letter to the Prime Minister from the National Research Alliance regarding the government's failure to fund NCRIS in 2015-16. Can the minister confirm that NCRIS had 21 months of secure funding when the Abbott government was elected? Can the minister confirm that the government has committed billions of dollars in new spending since the May budget but refuses to deliver $150 million for NCRIS that is already in the forward estimates? Why is research infrastructure such a low priority for this government?