Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

To whom or what the council might report from time to time will not necessarily determine the government's approach. What I can indicate to the senator is that the Prime Minister is absolutely committed to the wellbeing of science and future research. Indeed, that is why one of the very important parts of this year's budget was the new Medical Research Foundation, the funding source for which I understand the Labor Party are committed to opposing.

So what they say and what they do is that they come into this place, saying, 'We champion research; we champion a vessel for Antarctic research,' but then you ask them the fundamental question, 'Where is the money for this medical research coming from?' 'Oh, we're going to block that in the Senate,' in other words, no funding.

What about this ship for the Antarctic? 'Oh we didn't make any provision for that either' (Time expired)