A discussion paper released today as part of the Government's Strategic Examination of R&D is a much-needed wake-up call for the nation according to Australia's leading scientists.
The Academy has been calling for a comprehensive cross-portfolio and cross-sectoral review of the R&D system since 2018 and is pleased that it is underway. The Academy will make a formal submission to the review.
The review findings must be a critical guide to any party that forms government after the 2025 federal election.
The paper highlights the central role that R&D plays in driving productivity and prosperity and the urgent need for Australia to be prepared to reform an inefficient, lacking-in-scale system that lacks any semblance of strategic organisation.
The evidence in the discussion paper is alarming, especially given our nation's need to confront many pressing challenges, Australian Academy of Science President Professor Chennupati Jagadish said.
"The paper clearly illustrates that investing in science is beneficial and crucial to our national interest.
"In today's complex and ever-changing geostrategic environment, exacerbated by supply chain issues and emerging technologies, a robust scientific approach is essential for navigating national challenges. Incremental adjustments have been and will be insufficient as leading R&D countries have shown.
"Instead, we must develop an R&D system that maximises our research talent and current investments while adequately incentivising the entire R&D pipeline," Professor Jagadish said.
