Australian Synchrotron beams on with $100m injection

The beamlines at the Australian Synchrotron will be shining bright on into the foreseeable future thanks to a $100 million injection that has saved it from potential closure.

After negotiations over funding dragged on, there was a risk that the Synchrotron may have faced closure as its existing funding dried up as of June 30.

The funding agreement, signed today, sees the proportion of funding from the federal and Victorian governments reversed. To date, Victoria had contributed $157 million of the $221 million required to commission and build the facility, with the federal and other state governments, along with the New Zealand government, contributing the rest.

Under the new agreement the federal government will inject $69 million, with the Victorian government contributing $26 million, with a further $5 million coming from the New Zealand government.

The funding should keep the Synchrotron up and running over the next four years.

The Synchrotron is a facility that produces high energy light beams of precise character that are used for advanced materials and life science research.

It has been highly popular with Australian and international researchers, and has contributed to some significant findings.

The Synchrotron released a statement welcoming the long awaited injection of funds.

“We are pleased that the Commonwealth of Australia and the State of Victoria are committed to the Australian Synchrotron continuing to be a world class facility for the benefit of the Australian and New Zealand scientific community; the pursuit of research, science and the professional development of scientists and others who access, maintain and use the Australian Synchrotron; and, the encouragement of innovation and development across society.”

President of the Australian Academy of Science, Professor Suzanne Cory, also welcomed the funding.

“It is very important that funding for this world-class facility has been secured so that Australia can continue to produce ground-breaking science for discovery, applied research and industrial purposes,” she said.