JOINT MEDIA RELEASE
MINISTER FOR
EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND TRAINING
THE HON DR BRENDAN NELSON MP |
MINISTER FOR
SCIENCE
THE HON PETER MCGAURAN MP |
CONTINUING THE COMMITMENT TO RESEARCH
13 May 2003 MINBUD 51/03
The Howard Government’s continuing commitment to the creation of
new knowledge and innovation through research is reflected in the
record allocation of $5.4 billion in the 2003-04 Budget.
The Government remains on track in its commitment to continue to
implement Backing Australia’s Ability (BAA) - the highly
successful $3 billion plan for innovation.
Under BAA, additional places in science, mathematics, and
technology are being provided at universities. Last year, 2000
students commenced their studies under this initiative. The number
of university places will reach a total of 5500 by 2005 as students
continue and complete their courses.
Also through BAA, the Government already provided an additional
$124 million for research infrastructure at universities in 2003-04
– delivering vital support for laboratories, libraries, specialised
equipment, and research overheads.
Last year the Prime Minister announced that a major science
‘mapping’ exercise would be conducted
to assist understanding where Australia’s research activity is
taking place. This will be vital information in light of the Higher
Education reforms (announced in this Budget) and also the National
Research Priorities announced by the Prime Minister in December
2002.
The National Research Priorities are:
An Environmentally Sustainable Australia;
Promoting and Maintaining Good Health;
Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian
Industries; and
Safeguarding Australia.
Research priorities provide a focus for investment in key areas
that can deliver significant economic, social and environmental
benefits to Australia.
The Government has also commenced a detailed programme to
evaluate Australian research and innovation. Activities include:
The mapping of
Australia’s science and innovation activities. This will provide
the fundamental building blocks for planning future directions in
science and innovation. The mapping study will build a complete
picture of Australia’s science and innovation effort and will
enable the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments, research
institutions and industry, to make better informed decisions about
the allocation of resources, and better identify where additional
support is required.
A high level taskforce
will be established to examine the scope for greater collaboration
between universities and Australia’s major publicly-funded
research agencies, such as the affiliation of the Australian
Institute of Marine Science with James Cook University, announced
in this Budget. Affiliations have the potential to enhance
research outcomes, achieve more efficient and effective use of
resources and strengthen institutional performance.
A comprehensive
evaluation will be undertaken of the 1999 Knowledge and
Innovation reforms to the funding of research and research
training in Australia’s universities to ensure that the policy
framework for research funding is effective.
The Government will
establish a taskforce to develop a nationally integrated research
infrastructure strategy for public higher education institutions
and publicly funded research agencies.
In 2003-04, the
Government will be evaluating Backing Australia’s Ability
programmes which run until 2005-06. As part of this process an
evaluation of the Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) programme
will be concluded during 2003.
Together, all these activities will be used to inform the future
shape for research funding and research training.
Accordingly, more detailed consideration of BAA initiatives
beyond 2005-06 will be undertaken in the 2004-05 Budget. Extra
funding, however, beyond the final year of Backing Australia's
Ability, has been provided in 2006-07 for several initiatives
that involve multi-year competitive grants:
One of the largest
single initiatives of Backing Australia's Ability is an
additional $740 million to research funded through the Australian
Research Council (ARC). This will double, over a period of five
years, the ARC’s capacity to fund grants through the National
Competitive Grants Programme. An additional $275 million will be
provided for 2006-07, maintaining funding at the doubled level.
A further Budget
measure will add $62.5 million for the CRC Programme in 2006-07.
This complements the significant additional funding already
provided for the Programme under Backing Australia’s Ability
for 2003-04 to 2005-06. It brings the Government’s total
commitment to the CRC Programme over the four years 2003-04 to
2006-07 to $862 million.
Science and innovation remains one of the Government’s nine
strategic priorities and at the forefront of national policy. The
year ahead will prove pivotal in the development of long-term
research and innovation in this country.
For further information:
Dr Nelson’s Office: Ross Hampton 0419 484 095
Mr McGauran’s Office: Gemma Allman 0408 971 708
Dept. of Education, Science and Training: Virginia Cook 0412
971 323
Department of Education,
Science and Training Budget at a Glance - Science
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