Knowledge Nation receives support

The Knowledge Nation proposals announced in the ALP policy launch were warmly welcomed by the science and technology community.

Professor Peter Cullen, President of the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies, said the size of the ALP package would have a significant impact on Australia's progress towards a modern economy.

"Additional support for the universities is long overdue, as is the boost to CSIRO," he said. "Scientists working in these areas have been doing it tough for some years now."

"Our national investment in people and ideas will pay big dividends - higher pay, more jobs, better jobs, a cleaner environment."

Professor Cullen said the ALP costed their new policies at $5.8 billion over 5 years. This is a significant expansion of the Government's $2.9 billion package 'Backing Australia's Ability' announced in January.

"We welcomed 'Backing Australia's Ability' as a positive first step, and we see the ALP's 'Knowledge Nation' proposals as an equally welcome second step towards a modern economy," he said.

He said Australia had allowed itself to slip behind the best international standards in science, research and higher education in recent years. It would take an extra $13 billion over the next five years to reach the OECD average spend on R&D by government and industry.

Professor Cullen said that investing national funds in science and education is the best investment Australia can make in terms of creating new jobs and new opportunities.

"But we need to carry the community with us. An investment of this size requires a national consensus that we need to change our course as a nation.