FASTS release top 10 issues for 2002

Professor Chris Fell, President of the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies (FASTS), has said it was time for the government to announce the second stage of its plans for science and technology.

"We welcomed the Prime Minister's statement on innovation last January as promising start," he said. "Subsequently Mr Howard said the job was not complete, and we agree with him. Now it is time to announce the second step."

Professor Fell has launched FASTS' annual 'Ten Top Issues' list. The list has suggestions to government on ways it can increase the impact and profile of science in Australia.

He said that some would cost very little to implement, such as removing the unfair HECS burden on science and mathematics teachers. But he warned more overall funding would be needed. "We cannot escape the hard cold fact that Australia's investment in science and research is well below that of comparable countries," he said.

TEN TOP ISSUES FOR 2002

1. BRING ON 'BACKING AUSTRALIA'S ABILITY': Speed up the new funding promised to science, so scientists can get to work creating new industries and new jobs.

2. INVEST MORE GOVERNMENT FUNDS IN THE UNIVERSITY SECTOR: Australia's national investment in education is slipping behind other countries. We are in danger of losing brainpower and ending up a nation of low-skill, low-pay industries.

3. ENCOURAGE NEW INDUSTRIES TO RELOCATE TO AUSTRALIA: Meet half the cost of employing new PhD graduates, to encourage companies operating in Australia to compete internationally by employing our best and brightest talent.

4. HECS-FREE EMPLOYMENT FOR SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS TEACHERS: Science and maths teachers are in short supply in Australia, but they still are forced to pay higher HECS fees than teachers in other subjects.

5. BIG SCIENCE: Call for new proposals for Major National Research Facilities each year, to allow 'Big Science' proposals to be funded.

6. DO NOT DISCOURAGE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS: Students studying for careers in science, mathematics and technology fields should not have to pay higher course fees than students studying economics, arts, humanities and social sciences.

7. ENCOURAGE COMPANIES TO INVEST IN NEW PRODUCTS: New and better products come from research and development. Companies should be offered financial incentives to invest in more R&D, through a sliding scale of Government support.

8. RESTORE FUNDING FOR CSIRO: CSIRO has lost staff and funding over the last 10 years. Renewed investment will help it carry out important new research for the national good.

9. SCIENCE IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST: Help focus the national parliament on innovation by establishing a Standing Committee on Science and Innovation, and by providing better high level scientific advice to parliament.

10. ENCOURAGE SCIENTISTS TO THINK COMMERCIAL: Allow scientists working in publicly funded research organisations like CSIRO to have a stake in their own research, through rewards for successful commercial ventures.