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

In addition to having the President of the European Commission visit us in parliament today, it is indeed Science Meets Parliament week, when our leading scientists come to parliament to connect with politicians. It is very fitting and I'm very proud that today we announced that we would enter treaty-level talks to associate with Horizon Europe. That is the largest pool of research and innovation funds in the world. It has a current budget of A$155 billion. That means that Australian scientists, universities and research organisations can mount joint research efforts and apply for grants that are very substantial, in partner, trusted, economies where we have much in common in security terms, in energy terms and in technology terms, for agricultural purposes, artificial intelligence, quantum science—all of these areas where Australia has an excellent reputation in our universities and in our science institutions. This gives us access. This gives our researchers access to more funds, to more collaboration and to more colleagues to be able to advance Australia's interests. Our universities and our research institutions do remarkable things, whether it's in agriculture, mining, defence or food security. In all of these areas, it's Australian researchers and Australian scientists. This is just one more way the Australian government is backing that effort and giving them an opportunity to collaborate, as I said, with trusted partners in a way that advances the national interest.