Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Senator Ronaldson, representing the Minister for Industry and Science. Will the minister update the Senate on how the government is ensuring our children are equipped with science, technology, engineering and maths—or stem skills—needed for the jobs of the future?

Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Canavan, and I thank Senator McAllister for that question earlier on, which got the response it deserved, which gave me the opportunity to get up and get this question answered.

As Senator Canavan well knows, children living in regional Australia do not have regular access to facilities like Sydney's Powerhouse or Canberra's Questacon that can instil and inspire a love of science, technology, engineering and maths. Last month, hundreds of children got to experience science in action when the Shell Questacon Science Circus went to regional New South Wales. Throughout the program's 30-year history, more than 2.2 million Australians have experienced the science circus, through school excursions or public exhibition. I am sure that Senator Canavan will be pleased to know the science circus includes slime, bubbles, fire, liquid nitrogen and beds of nails, to involve students in fun, accessible demonstrations that show science is important and relevant to everyone's lives. With attractions like slime, bubbles, fire, liquid nitrogen and beds of nails, it might have been cheaper to give these kids observer status at the forthcoming national ALP conference.

One of the mothers, Sally White said, 'I think that it is really important for the kids, especially to see the hands-on approach to learning about science. It could be something that stays with them when they continue to learn about science in the future.' Indeed, instilling a love of science at a young age ensures that we nurture our future entrepreneurs. (Time expired)

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate on how the industries across Australia are being supported by the government's National Measurement Institute?

Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Canavan again. I am very pleased to advise him and the Senate that Australia's health and energy sectors, along with other industries, will continue to benefit from the National Measurement Institute initiatives funded through this year's budget. Australia's peak measurement body is delivering biological, chemical, physical and legal measurements, and this expertise is available to businesses and organisations across Australia.

For industry, this helps them to improve the accuracy of the measurement of their goods and services, and helps with their participation in global markets. The institute's activities this year will support the government's commitment to putting science at the centre of industry by working with research institutes, hospitals and pathology labs to improve the comparability and accuracy of their diagnostic test results. NMI's molecular biologists will collaborate with Australian researchers to—

Senator Lines interjecting—

Honestly and truly!—evaluate a new approach to detecting—

Opposition senators interjecting—

Look, if you do not care about childhood leukaemia, just keep on talking. If you—(Time expired)

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Will the minister also inform the Senate how the government is investing in science and making sure that science is an important cog in our industry policy?

Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If Senator Canavan does not mind, I will finish the last part of that last answer. As I was saying, the NMI's molecular biologists will collaborate with Australian researchers to evaluate a new approach to detecting childhood leukaemia, potentially providing cheaper and faster diagnosis, which I would have thought would have been supported by everyone in this chamber. Clearly, from the attitude across the chamber, that is not so.

Now, our government is finalising its national science, technology, engineering and mathematics policy, the STEM policy. We have already launched our national science and research priorities and assessed associated challenges. The Minister for Industry and Science is working with the Minister for Education and Training to implement a new approach to the funding of national research infrastructure. We are working very closely across industry and the science community to get the fundamentals right and develop a national science policy that will position Australia well into the future. We are spending $3.1 billion— (Time expired)

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.