The 2025-26 Federal Budget has missed the opportunity to safeguard Australia's scientific and technological capability and support cost-of-living measures through targeted investment in supercomputing, the Australian Academy of Science says.
The Budget acknowledges major shifts in our economy, including rapid technological advances as a result of Artificial Intelligence, the shift from globalisation to fragmentation, and changes in our demography and industrial base.
Within this context, Australia's investments need to be future-ready and able to take advantage of the scientific and technological opportunities before us.
"Forward-thinking investment is what will future-proof Australia's security. We need to see commitments that harness the potential of Australia's advanced capabilities - this Budget has missed that opportunity," Australian Academy of Science President Professor Chennupati Jagadish he said.
For example, the Budget contains no measures to secure Australia's critical supercomputing infrastructure or diversify scientific co-operation in our region and beyond.
"The vital infrastructure of today is supercomputing - not just roads and rail," Professor Jagadish said.
The Academy urges the Government to commit to a ten-year national strategy for high-performance computing and data infrastructure, with $200 million annually to upgrade current systems and build next-generation capabilities.
Academy fact sheet: Bringing Australia's supercomputing up to speed.
"Just-in-time funding for Australia's research agencies does not deliver the secure, long-term investment in science capability that Australia needs for the future. A newly elected government must act decisively to protect Australia's strategic research capability," Professor Jagadish concluded.
The announcement of $2.2 million to extend the Australian Academy of Science school Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs for one year will support and upskill STEM teachers in our schools, a vital requirement to build our STEM pipeline.
