Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to raise my concerns for the future of science in Australia under this seemingly flat-earth government. The Prime Minister has said that we should not judge his ministry by their titles but, instead, judge them by their actions. Their actions on science are very clear. They do not understand science, they do not see the importance of science and they clearly do not believe science has a future in Australia. This is a science-denying government. For the first time since 1931, we have a government without a science minister. Australia is one of only three countries in the OECD without a science or innovation strategy. The other two are Portugal and Luxembourg. We have a Prime Minister who has not called a meeting of his own Science, Engineering and Innovation Council since he was elected more than nine months ago. We have a government with an incoherent approach to science, not as described by the Opposition but as described by one of their own members—a doctor of science, no less—the member for Tangney. We have a government which is slashing funding from scientific agencies, sacking scientists, cutting programs, making science more expensive for students and even abolishing agencies like the Clean Energy Council which are making scientific breakthroughs and returning large economic dividends. This government is setting the scene for an Australia without scientists.

Australia is a country with a proud history in science, innovation and new discoveries. Our premier research agency, the CSIRO, has by itself made scientific breakthroughs that change the way we live: wi-fi, polymer bank notes, the hendra virus vaccine, traffic management's Safe-T-Cam, Aerogard and the first influenza vaccine. The list is impressive and goes on and on.

My electorate of Newcastle is home to CSIRO's National Energy Centre. The centre plays host to world-leading scientists specialising in renewable energy and low-emission fossil fuel research. Earlier this month they announced another breakthrough, this time in solar energy generation. For the first time, solar energy was used to generate the hottest supercritical steam ever achieved outside of fossil fuel sources. This breakthrough has been described as the equivalent of breaking the sound barrier and confirms the potential of solar energy to be used to drive power station turbines now fuelled by coal or gas. It is a truly remarkable feat and an important breakthrough for our planet's future.

These same world-leading scientists are now fighting for their jobs with the government's $111 million cut to CSIRO's budget. Five hundred jobs will be lost across the country at CSIRO and, while the 120 staff at Newcastle's Energy Centre are yet to learn their fate, the writing is on the wall. This government does not understand or respect the importance of the research they are undertaking. This week, CSIRO scientists took part in nationwide action against cuts to their budget, with about 80 staff attending a rally in Newcastle on Tuesday.

Condemnation of this government's approach to science has been broad, both internationally and here in Australia, from industry and science bodies and, as I mentioned earlier, from both sides of the House. Ian Dunlop, former chair of the Australian Coal Association, has said:

Science has disappeared from the government's priorities just at the time we need it most.

Professor Ian Chubb, Australia's Chief Scientist, said after the budget was handed down:

While I recognise that no area of Government expenditure is immune from savings, I am concerned about the impact these reductions could have on our overall capacity in science.

Respected international scientific journal Nature has blogged about CSIRO's woes. And Leigh Dayton, at the prestigious Science magazine website, recently warned his readers that 'the bad news just keeps coming for Australia's scientific community'.

This government is also putting our scientists of the future in danger—and into massive debt. Its suggestion of teaching-only universities with no research could lead to a significant decline in scientist numbers. And NATSEM calculations show that the government's move to deregulate university fees will lead to significantly higher fees for science students in the future, and for females in particular. A female science graduate under a full fee scenario, as proposed by the government, would pay off her degree in 13.9 years, up from 8.4 years, with her total repayments increasing by an estimated $51,500.

To paraphrase Ian Dunlop, we are at a time when we need scientists more than ever and this government is abandoning them. I urge the Prime Minister to listen to the experts and to listen to his own backbench. It is time to start making smart decisions for our future. Appointing a science minister to guide our research, keeping university affordable for scientists and supporting renewables is a great start. (Time expired)