Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Hansard source

Last night, I was so delighted to attend my first Prime Minister's Prizes as Minister for Science. The prizes promote some of our most brilliant scientists, but what they also do is elevate science when science and scientists are under attack in some quarters.

I want to congratulate Distinguished Professor Lidia Morawska on her vital work in mitigating risks of air pollution and the spread of COVID-19. I also congratulate Dr Vikram Sharma on his work to enhance the security of digital technologies across the world. It was a privilege to witness the awarding of the first Prime Minister's Prize for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledge Systems to Malgana man Professor Michael Wear for his extraordinary work on the sea cucumber fishery and waterway restoration in Shark Bay in Western Australia.

We also celebrated great teachers, Paula Taylor from the ACT and Matthew Dodds. They're two great science teachers who are improving science pedagogy today and fostering the great scientists of the future. I was so delighted that Matthew Dodds is inspiring girls and boys in the same chemistry and physics labs where I learnt high school science—perhaps not as well as I should have—in Glen Innes, just a few years ago. Professor Yao Zheng's work on the extraction of hydrogen from seawater is the kind of science that can and should enhance Australia's natural advantages as we tackle these big industrial challenges. And I suspect we will all have reason to be grateful for Dr David Khoury's statistical modelling of infectious diseases and Dr Nikhilesh Bappoo's development of a stud finder for human veins. We in the Albanese government know just how important science is, and last night's event was a precious event to celebrate it.