Science and Technology Australia (STA) called the Accord Interim Report, an “epic fail.” The lobby has ideas on how Accord authors Mary O’Kane and colleagues can redeem themselves
“Without a clear recommendation from the Accord Panel on a bold R&D uplift, the Australian Government won’t have the policy and budget levers it needs to deepen Australia’s R&D investment,” STA states in its response to the report.
STA’s suggestions involve a great deal more money for researchers. In particular the lobby calls for 2.4 per cent of GDP by 2030 and doubling Australian Research Council and National Health and Medical Research Council competitive grants and university block grants from 2024.
Money should go to:
- longer research grants, with five -seven year contracts for staff
- lifting and extending the life of base funding for National Collaborative Research Infrastructure System institutions
- a research infrastructure workforce plan, including specific job classifications and pay scales – this is an objective of NCRIS managements (Campus Morning Mail, November 8 2022).
STA urges the Accord to act in the national interest. “Without a clear recommendation from the Accord Panel on a bold R&D uplift, the Australian Government won’t have the policy and Budget levers it needs.”
And to help Professor O’Kane and colleagues make the case, STA provides brief reports of research in the national interest and case studies of research ROI.
Which is pretty much what Professor O’Kane recommends research advocates do.
“Governments have to get elected … a major new policy program will require electoral support and so it is about making sure people know about it.
“Once people realise they cannot do without (research) I think funding is going to be easier to get,” (Future Campus August 9).
The Group of Eight fill the Accord ideas void on research
Its response to the Interim Accord report delivers a great deal of space to the case for discovery research, which may be what is wanted by those of its constituents who are alarmed by the present bi-partisan focus on research translation. “Basic research: the foundation of progress, productivity and a more sovereign nation,” is the patriotic pitch,
“The ultimate winners of such policy direction are not vested interests, but the national interest and therefore every Australian benefits,” the Go9 add. Good-o but who, pray, are the “vested interests” whose are not those of every Australian?
The Eight also specify what we all need in research investment, including
- a national research strategy and “an overarching government body for research and innovation”
- a “future fund” for not health and medicine research
- provision of full economic cost of government grants – starting with $0.60 per dollar for grants from the three major agencies
- “future fund style of funding” for the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure
- But the Go8 is not presenting an entirely united front for all of HE. It proposes.
- “greater diversity of mission, scale and focus among universities delivering research” and,
- cost benchmarking at each university to recognise different costs and research quality/impact
