Proposals that would make research and development part of industry policy are double whammyed, with the Australian Academy of Science warning they imply, “research is only important if it can be commercialised by industry.”
“Fundamental research is the wellspring of innovation. There is no ‘D’ without ‘R’,” Academy president, Chennupati Jagadish, warns.
He was responding to the Strategic Examination of Research and Development chaired by Robyn Denholm which has just filed the last of six consultation papers setting issues for national strategy it will file to Industry and Science Minister Tim Ayres.
The SERD proposals focus on specific national priorities with government oversighting strategy.
However, in addition to calling for more support for discovery research with no necessarily apparent commercial connection, the Academy argues for additional government direction, from a dedicated cabinet subcommittee and a state and federal minco.
And the Academy renews its call for levy on big business, raising up to $12.8bn for national R&D future fund.
Its proposals follow a scathing rebuke to the SERD authors from industry-based Science and Technology Australia. “Rather than leveraging this once-in-a-generation opportunity to supercharge Australia’s discovery research capability, we find ourselves in the dire situation of questioning whether funding currently directed to discovery research is under threat, and in need of protection,” STA’s Kathy Nicholson and Ryan Winn state in a letter to Ms Denholm and colleagues.
“Based on content in the issues papers, the SERD recommendations will not speak to boosting, or even properly securing Australia’s research infrastructure funding at current levels. Nor does the process look at the unique research infrastructure needs of industry, such as prototyping facilities,” they lament.