1. The issues
Despite having a high proportion of globally ranked universities, Australia’s research impact, business R&D investment, and proportion of R&D expenditure relative to GDP, remains low.
Dr John H Howard, Innovation Australia, Sept 2024
We can be very proud of the work our research agencies do but, compared with other OECD countries, Australia’s research funding is low and lowest amongst our major trading partners (Innovation Australia). Government R&D expenditure for 2024–25 is equivalent to 0.52% of GDP and, despite recent increases, it is still well below the 2021 OECD average of 0.74%. Australia’s expenditure on research is the lowest amongst our major trading partners.
2. Our plan
- Identify and properly fund the core set of research capabilities necessary for our national interests and make it easier to fund research translation
- Raise R&D expenditure to at least OECD average of GDP over the next 5 years
- Apply transformational research to address food security, clean energy, climate adaptation, and healthcare and wellbeing
- Substantially improve the participation and promotion of diversity, particularly for women and girls in science
- Research the social and ethical risks and opportunities of new technologies
- Cease conducting research for the fossil fuel industry
- Substantially increase expenditure on ongoing support for environmental and wildlife security research
3. The evidence
A recent poll - What Australia Thinks – showed Australians want scientific research to be publicly funded with 67% believing that science is best funded by Government rather than private investment. 84% wanted to see more people working in research and technological development.
Cuts to the CSIRO have been significant with jobs lost in health and biosecurity (43), agriculture and food (30), manufacturing (5) and now potentially several hundred (375-500) in enterprise services. CSIRO spent nearly A$11 million on redundancies in 2023-24, $4m more than the previous year.
Gas industry research. The Government funds 66% of the cost of the GISERA – a CSIRO project that ‘assists’ the coal seam gas industry, largely with community wellbeing and attitudes to gas developments. In 2023-24 the government contributed $47m to this sham project. CSIRO also funds research for coal seam gas production. About 70% of Australia’s gas production is exported, most of it from north-west of WA. CSG reserves have a potential life of 36 years production.
Women make up only 34% of the workforce in science, technology and engineering. Female scientists are almost entirely omitted from Australian curriculum. A study published in the Australian Journal of Education analysed the curriculum of the four year 11 and year 12 Stem subjects taught in Australian schools – biology, chemistry, physics and environmental science.
It found only one female scientist, British chemist Rosalind Franklin, was named in high school curriculums in Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory. The history of science has often seen women’s work overlooked and their credit stolen.
Biodiversity conservation research. The Government spends less than 1% of the Federal budget on protecting the natural environment. The CRC program has, in the past, been a major source of innovation for national economic, social and environmental benefit across a spectrum of environmental issues. These are environmental remediation, water management, weeds, invasive pests and native animal management. Also major national responsibilities like Antarctica and World Heritage Areas. However, present priorities and guidelines mean that public good proposals in this sector are disadvantaged when competing against commercial or industrial bids.
The number of species known to science that have also had their risk of extinction assessed is just the tip of the tip of the iceberg. Many species known to science are too poorly understood to assess their extinction risk. And an even larger number – perhaps 70%, of all Australian species are still unknown to us and have yet to be discovered. (NSW Government State of the Environment Report 2024). Biodiversity is in decline in every state and territory.
Climate. Australia needs a national system of long-term research to guide decision-making, particularly for ecological research which is crucial to understanding the process over decades in a land of extreme events droughts, fires and floods. NHMRC grants are an open, competitive peer-reviewed source of funding for medical research. In addition, there is an informal system of funding through discretionary grants given by Health Ministers, many of which are given directly to organisations without a formal tender process or peer review.
Agriculture. Australian agriculture is forecast to rise by $6 billion to $84 billion in 2025. However commodity prices are expected to fall in the future, and the Government has committed to diversifying our economy with more high-value advanced manufacturing but research and development will be crucial to this objective.
4. References
Budget Review 2023-2024 - Science and Research
Australia’s research system compared to global peers
Big Tech scuppers Australians’ right to opt out of targeted ads
State of the Environment Report: Biodiversity
ABS Measuring What Matters: Biodiversity
Redundancy costs rise at Australian science agency
Responsible innovation at CSIRO