Grant Chapman (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Well, Minister, it is quite ironic that, while the minister believes research funding is a cause of inflation in this nation, he and his colleagues apparently do not believe that increasing the price of things such as alcohol, cars, health insurance and energy will have any upward impact on inflation. But then of course it is asking far too much to expect any understanding of economics from the Labor Party. In his answer, as I said, Senator Carr launched into typical spin about the Labor Party’s claimed dedication to science and research, and that spin we just heard reiterated a few moments ago by Senator Crossin in a vain attempt to defend the minister and this decision.

The reality is that, over the next three years, the CSIRO will have $44 million less than it did in the last year of the Howard government. Clearly, the Liberal and National parties are committed to scientific research and some of the amazing results which are beneficial for the Australian community that can ensue from such research. But the Australian Labor Party and this appalling government, already showing its colours, are only interested in short-term headlines and spin.

The Labor Party went into the last election with a policy claiming that it would revitalise our public research, including the CSIRO. Today Minister Carr claimed that he stands by that policy. Well, it is fair to say that the hypocrisy of this government knows absolutely no bounds, when Minister Carr stands up, in the face of a clearly defined budget cut, and claims that the policy that the Labor Party took to the last election is being implemented. How can the minister honestly stand in this place, claiming to stand by the claim that his party will reinvigorate the CSIRO, while on the other hand slashing $44 million from its budget? This is yet another broken promise in the short period that the Labor government has been in office. It seems to have come into this process of government believing that people will just listen to its spin rather than actually reading what is in the budget papers. It is fair to say that the Australian people are owed much more respect than that from this new government.

Australian scientists have made many outstanding discoveries through their scientific research that have benefited not only our community but people right around the world. Take the development of things like the cochlear ear implant, which has made a world of difference in people’s lives right round the world. There are deaf people not only here in Australia but right around the world who now have the capacity to hear because of that dedicated work of Australian researchers. More recently, the cervical cancer vaccine, Gardasil, was developed in Australia through scientific research which will simply save the lives of thousands of young women. Clearly, this sort of scientific research does not meet the Labor Party’s short-term objectives of positive media headlines.

Surely there must come a point at which the government recognises that it has a responsibility to do the right thing, irrespective of whether that is going to provide it with a short-term media or poll boost. All Australians, irrespective of where they live, deserve the benefits of publicly funded research to improve their lives, and this government has failed every Australian in this budget in relation to CSIRO. We will never know what life-saving discoveries will not be made because of these budget cuts to CSIRO, but we certainly know that this government has let down not just those directly involved with CSIRO but in fact every Australian who will lose the benefit of their researchers’ tireless work, which has been truncated by this slashed funding.

Senator Carr, the minister, should be ashamed, not just because of the budget slashing of CSIRO or for the CSIRO staff who will lose their jobs, but because he came into this place and, rather than being honest about this appalling policy, delivered more spin and absolutely no answers for those CSIRO staff working hard to keep Australia at the forefront of scientific research. (Time expired)