Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Australian Research Council Amendment Bill 2008 is a budget bill and it is within everybody’s interests that this legislation be carried today. Therefore, I will be making some brief remarks but I would hate anybody on the other side to then accuse me of not being interested in this area because of brevity. Unfortunately, we have experienced that this week. I put that on the record so that anybody who might read my contribution would know that any such attack would be unfounded.

The Australian Research Council Amendment Bill 2008 provides an administered special appropriation to the Australian Research Council. This amendment bill indexes existing special appropriations set out in the act, creates an additional out year and provides an additional $326 million over four years to establish new Future Fellowships places. The Australian Research Council’s primary purpose is to administer almost $600 million in grants annually to Australia’s science and research community and it is for this purpose that the funds appropriated in this bill will be used. The coalition has a proud record when it comes to science and research in Australia.

Under our 2001 white paper Backing Australia’s Ability, funds available to the Australian Research Council for science and research grants were doubled from roughly $300 million per annum to roughly $600 million per annum during a period—I remind the Senate—when Australia’s taxpayers’ money was still largely being diverted to repay Labor’s $96 billion debt. While Labor will claim that this bill appropriates $950 million for science and research, in reality almost $600 million of that is merely a continuation of the former coalition government’s policy.

Indeed, while Labor said a lot about their intent to support science and research prior to the election, they have done the exact opposite since—axing the $700 million Commercial Ready program and ripping $63 million out of the CSIRO and $12 million out of ANSTO. In fact, this bill represents Labor’s first real, potentially positive contribution to science and research in Australia. That is why it is supported by the coalition. It is also worth noting that it says something about Labor’s economic management that the explanatory memorandum to the bill talks about increasing spending by approximately $950 million. The actual amount is $943.1—closer to $940 million than to $950 million. Apparently near enough is good enough for Labor, yet Labor has the hide to lecture us about economic management.

It is also interesting to see that the costings for the new Future Fellowships are not the same as Labor’s ‘fully costed and funded’ claim made before the election. For example, prior to the election, Labor claimed the measure would cost $57.7 million in 2009-10—that is, next financial year—yet this bill appropriates $68.8 million. Having said all this, the coalition supports this bill. We will closely monitor Labor’s Future Fellowships in action.

Having bequeathed Labor a debt-free Australia, together with the Future Fund, it is appropriate to further increase the funding in this very important area. In a climate of battling huge Labor government debt, the coalition found the funds to double the money allocated to the ARC. In a time of Australia being debt free with huge surpluses and future funds, Labor’s increase is easily affordable and welcomed. Our regret is that it is funded on the back of the cuts to the CSIRO, ANSTO and the Commercial Ready program. We support the bill.

Ursula Stephens (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Prime Minister for Social Inclusion) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Abetz for his contribution on behalf of the opposition. In the interests of brevity, I ask that the question be now put.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.