Science community responds to federal Budget

By on 30 March, 2022

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/immimagery

The Government’s election-eve budget presents a vision of a skilled, technology-powered Australia but falls short of making a long-term investment in supporting Australia’s technological ambitions, according to the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE).

ATSE also says it leaves the nation exposed to workforce shortages and an unpredictable future.

“We welcome funding for green energy infrastructure and expanding the STEM workforce. However, this budget does not represent a comprehensive and evidence-based investment to decarbonise, or develop the essential foundational skills required for the aspirational technology-forward economy the government has envisaged,” said ATSE President, Hugh Bradlow.

“As Australia seeks to transform to a net zero emissions economy and evolve traditional industries, applied science is fundamental to actualising the ideas, technologies, systems and processes needed.”

Barlow says that ATSE welcomes $247.1 million over five years for low emissions technologies, and support to farmers for biodiversity activities. “However, we are concerned that other energy related announcements are at odds with fast-tracking a net zero future and risks stranded assets,” he said.

“The $12 billion investment in roads is a missed opportunity to fast-track electrification of the transport system and achieve Australia’s emission reduction commitment.”

“While the expansion of the Patent Box for agricultural innovation is welcome, ATSE is disappointed this does not extend to green energy,” said Professor Bradlow.

ATSE has also welcomed the enhanced support for technology infrastructure, including $9.9 billion for cyber security capabilities. It says these investments will create strong demand for a highly skilled national STEM workforce, and a skills strategy from kindergarten-to-career is urgently needed.

“By 2023, digital technologies are estimated to contribute $65 billion to our economy and we will need an additional 100,000 digitally skilled workers by 2024. By 2025, we need 40,000 more engineers. This is an immediate need that is not being met by support for teachers, students, and the higher education sector,” Barlow said.

ATSE also reiterated its support for previous announcements including the $750 million regional investment in telecommunications to improve wireless connections and the $41.2 million Elevate: Boosting Women in STEM Program.

Science & Technology Australia, too, has welcomed new investments in research commercialisation in the 2022 Budget, while urging deeper investment in discovery science to secure Australia’s research pipeline for the coming decades and its long-term safety and prosperity.

Science & Technology Australia President Professor, Mark Hutchinson, said new investments in science and technology would help turn more great Australian research into jobs.

“Stronger science and technology commercialisation is crucial for our country, and these investments, long championed by the science and technology sector, will be pivotal to prosperity,” he said.

“The next task is to deepen our nation’s investments in essential discovery and ‘blue sky’ science to deliver major research breakthroughs that can catapult Australia’s capabilities.”

“The scale of the climate change challenge for humanity is sobering — the grave safety risks driven by climate change will mean more floods, bushfires, cyclones, storms and droughts on a scale never witnessed before,” added Hutchinson.

“Science will be our lifeline as we face all these threats, and further deep investments in Australia’s transition strategy are imperative over the next year.”

Some key budget measures for science and technology in the 2022 Budget are:

  • $505.2 million over five years from 2021–22 (and around $182.3 million ongoing) to establish Australia’s Economic Accelerator to support projects to take university research to proof-of-concept and proof-of-scale.
  • $295.2 million over five years from 2021–22 ($142.8 million a year ongoing) to create new research training pathways for students and researchers in Industry PhDs and Industry Fellowships.
  • $150 million in equity funding over five years from 2021–22 to expand CSIRO Innovation Fund (Main Sequence Ventures).
  • $37.4 million over four years from 2022–23 to establish CSIRO Research Translation Start program to build entrepreneurial skills in the research workforce.
  • $5.3 million over two years to support science and technology advice to Government via the National Science & Technology Council.
  • $4.7 million over 4 years from 2022–23 to support the Women in STEM Ambassador and Future You campaigns.
  • $2 million over four years from 2021–22 to extend Science & Technology Australia’s Superstars of STEM program to build the profile of women in STEM.
  • $839.2 million for East Antarctic exploration.

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