A safe Budget for science

Reactions to the 2017–18 Budget, delivered on the evening of 9 May, seem to indicate that the federal government is taking a safe and steady approach to science this year.

So now that we’ve all had a bit of time to digest the news, let’s take a closer look at the government’s current attitude towards STEM and what it all means for the sector at large.

One of the biggest investments announced on the night was over $100 million for advanced manufacturing, in the hope to boost innovation, skills and employment. The investment includes $47.5 million for an Advanced Manufacturing Fund; $4 million for an Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre; $20 million for larger scale advanced manufacturing research projects; $10 million to establish Innovation Labs in South Australia and Victoria; and $5 million to invest in student research.

The Budget will also see the first disbursements through the much-anticipated Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), with $65.9 million in year one for preventative health, advanced health translation, clinical trials and breakthrough research investments. Professor Tony Cunningham, president of the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI), said the medical research sector has been “eagerly anticipating” the first disbursements from the fund, which he described as “the sort of far-sighted public policy we so often cry out for in Australia”.

“It is great to see preventive health being supported, along with a focus on improving the health of vulnerable groups such as Indigenous people, and improving access to clinical trials and other medical breakthroughs in regional Australia,” Professor Cunningham said.

“Ensuring the MRFF builds to $20 billion by 2020–21, at which point it will double federal government investment in medical research and bring Australia back into line with the OECD average for such investment, remains key to our sector. Tonight’s Budget indicated this growth was on track, which is immensely reassuring.”

Industry Growth Centre MTPConnect meanwhile claims the Budget will provide positive outcomes for the support and growth of innovation in the medical technology, biotechnology and pharmaceutical (MTP) sector. The growth centre made particular mention of the $1.2 billion investment in new and amended listings on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), hospitals, increasing mental and preventative health measures, and investment into clinical trials and medical research.

Other highlights include:

• $26.1m for astronomy through a strategic partnership with the European Southern Observatory, with an ongoing annual indexed commitment of $12m to 2027-28.
• $68m for the SA proton beam therapy facility — the first in the Southern Hemisphere — to be opened at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI).
• A $7m increase in Business Research and Innovation Initiative.
• Increased support for women to enter high-skilled STEM professions through the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI) internship program.
• $14.3m over three years to establish a whole-of-government educational data framework that will allow better understanding of educational pathways and program efficacy in STEM as well as other disciplines.
• A small increase in funding for Geoscience Australia, with a particular focus on realising the opportunities presented by satellite and other geographical data.
• $115m for mental health research and services.
• Public Service Modernisation Fund including enhancements to National Health and Medical Research Council grant assignments and outcome reporting.
• $49.8m over 11 years to operate and enable access to the Macquarie Island Antarctic research facility.

Overall, the reaction from the sector seems to indicate that this year’s Budget is somewhat unambitious. According to Science & Technology Australia (STA), the Budget held few surprises and has mainly left the sector waiting for further announcements on major reviews and roadmaps.

“This is largely a business-as-usual Budget for science and technology — it appears the government has focused more significant investment in upgrades to national road, rail and other transport infrastructure and in keeping Australia’s manufacturing industry alive,” said STA CEO Kylie Walker.

“It’s disappointing that after recent cuts and a two-year salary freeze, our biggest national research agency, CSIRO, will suffer a decrease over four years of $13.6 million. Though small, this represents a continued erosion of their budget in real terms.

“We’re also disappointed that the Australian Research Council (ARC) funding won’t keep pace with inflation, meaning grant allocations will fall in real terms.”

The Australian Academy of Science added that science seems to have largely flown under the radar, with no major spending or cuts save for the previously announced university funding changes.

“It is disappointing that the Budget didn’t include any of the recommendations of the Ferris-Finkel-Fraser review of the R&D Tax Incentives, particularly those which may have strengthened the engagement between our research organisations and industry,” said Professor Les Field, the academy’s secretary for science policy.

“We would have also liked to have seen the government investing more strongly in the vision for future jobs and economic prosperity, driven by a world-class STEM capability.

“The science sector will now look forward to the 2030 Strategy for Science and Innovation, to be finalised by the end of the year, and the government’s response to the Research Infrastructure Roadmap, which will determine priorities for new capital investment.”

Perhaps the sector’s attitude can best be summed up by Professor Karen Hussey, deputy director of the Global Change Institute at The University of Queensland, who stated, “In contrast to last year’s election campaign, the Turnbull Government’s 2017–18 Budget makes almost no mention of innovation, science and technology.

“It’s no longer exciting to be an Australian, it seems.”

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Maksym Yemelyanov