My question is to Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Carr. Can the minister please inform the Senate why science is so important to Australia and what are the implications—

if you can hear me, Senator Carr; I apologise if you cannot—of recent attacks on the integrity of science for Australia’s capacity to deal with existing and emerging challenges that Australia is facing? Are the attitudes expressed in these attacks widely shared?

Mr President, we rely on science to power new industries, to create new jobs, to cure disease, to meet our needs for sustainable energy, to feed the world, and to bring new levels of comfort and convenience to our lives. It is therefore very disturbing to see the values and the achievements of science coming under such ideological attack. Reactionaries—

Senator Carr, resume your seat. When there is silence on both sides we will proceed!

Reactionaries everywhere have seized the opportunity to besmirch science. Some have even been trying to advance their short-term political objectives. Others seem to genuinely want to turn the clock back to the Dark Ages.

Senator Carr, resume your seat! I understand that the end of question time is drawing close, but that is no reason why there should be disorder. Senator Carr is entitled to be heard in silence.

Mr President, the lunatic fringe is putting Australia’s prosperity at risk. Research by Swinburne University of Technology shows that Australians fully understand the importance of science. They agree strongly that science and technology are improving our quality of life. They share my view that science has the power to solve most of the problems we face. They continue to trust our scientists, especially the scientific findings of Australia’s great public research institutions: our universities and our agencies such as the CSIRO. Arranged against this common sense of ordinary Australians, we have the dogma of the fanatics and the flat-earthers across this country. Their numbers are small, but their voices are loud! (Time expired)

Order! If people want to debate the issue, there will be time after question time to do that.

I do! I do!

Senator Bernardi, if you want to debate it you can do so after question time. I need to be able to hear Senator Pratt ask her supplementary question, and we will not proceed until there is silence. I call Senator Pratt.

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate what the government is doing to support science, and in particular what new initiatives the government has taken to boost Australia’s scientific capacity and to support cutting-edge science?

The Australian government expressed its overwhelming support for science in this year’s budget. It included an extra $3.1 billion for research and innovation. The total research and innovation budget for 2009-10 will be around $8.6 billion. That is a 25 per cent increase on last year. It is the biggest commitment and the biggest increase on record. We have $1.1 billion for the Super Science initiatives, which involve building state-of-the-art infrastructure to support scientific research in Australia’s areas of strength, including astronomy and space science, marine and climate change and science that will drive the development of future industries. These new investments will fuel the new inventions and discoveries. (Time expired)

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question.

Opposition Senators:

More! More!

Order! I do not think the behaviour taking place now is helping anyone. This is question time, and people are entitled to be heard in silence.

I would like to know what the government is doing to support the science that will underpin future industries, and what measures the government is taking to ensure that these industries deliver maximum benefits to Australia.

The industries of the future will be built on many different platforms, including biotechnology and nanotechnology. The government this week released its National Enabling Technologies Strategy to guide the responsible development of these technologies. Nanotech and biotech promise to give us breakthrough medicines, faster computers, cleaner energy, stronger and lighter materials, more abundant and nutritious food, purer water and much more besides. This government, make no mistake about it, welcomes debate on scientific questions. Our scientists devote their whole lives to the contest of ideas. But the debate has to be on scientific grounds; it cannot be based—

Order! Senator Heffernan, it is disorderly to be interjecting across the chamber, but doing so not in your seat is totally disorderly.

Debate on science has to be based on evidence, not on the prejudice of the lunatic fringe that now dominates the Liberal Party. We have to ensure the debate is always on evidence, not on the prejudice that you have exhibited. (Time expired)

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.