Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I couldn't have segued into this conversation better. I thank Senator Roberts for doing that so eloquently for me.

Today I want to talk about the importance of science, more notably the importance of ensuring that parliamentarians have access to scientific advice that they can use to inform their speeches, their policies and our bills. The Greens played a pivotal role in advocating for the Parliamentary Budget Office, which offers independent advice to parliamentarians about the budget implications of their policies. A parliamentary office of science and technology, commonly nicknamed 'POST', would work in a similar way but would provide impartial scientific advice.

The UK parliament has a POST that provides impartial, nonpartisan and peer reviewed briefings designed to make science research accessible to the UK parliament. Areas such as biology and health, energy and environment, physical sciences, computing and social sciences are all covered. Beyond this, the UK POST offers a range of services to select committees. It trains the next generations of policyshapers through the POST fellowship and other schemes. It holds seminars and events for the UK parliament and also for the public. It develops best practice with its legislators across the globe and supports foreign research advisory bodies. It facilitates knowledge exchange between the UK parliament and research communities. The establishment of a POST in the Australian parliament is supported by our stakeholders, including Science and Technology Australia and the Australian Academy of Science.

Facts actually matter. Ensuring our parliamentarians are making statements that are actually factually correct also matters. Facts should be at the centre of the debates in this place, a place where these laws are made and impact the future of our country, but, unfortunately, in some cases, as we've seen today, shockingly this is often not the case. It is a clear example that this is why we need a POST.