BUDGET SQUANDERS OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD R&D
11 May 2004
RESEARCHERS LEFT TO TREAD WATER
The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) believes tonight’s Federal Budget will do little to help Australia’s research community face current financial and intergenerational pressures.
"For all its bells and whistles, the research and innovation package announced in the Budget has few new ideas, and what funding increases there are, largely flow from the first Backing Australia’s Ability in 2001,” said Dr Carolyn Allport, NTEU President.
“This leaves universities, at best, in a holding pattern despite significant improvements in the performance of Australian researchers”.
“Australia already lags behind its major OECD competitors in terms of spending on research and development. The Science and Innovation package will take us backwards in terms of spending on R&D as a percentage of GDP, with serious implications for our future international competitiveness.”
“This result is incredibly disappointing given the financial and intergenerational challenges facing our community”.
“According to the Government’s own research reviews, universities face mounting infrastructure pressures and have to use a considerable portion of their budgets ($450 million in 2002-2003) to participate in competitive research programs. There is little if anything in the Budget to assist universities to deal with these issues.”
“The Government has made a great deal of noise in the lead-up to tonight’s Budget about the need to improve the commercialisation of research, without recognising that commercial outcomes depend upon a solid foundation of basic research conducted largely by universities and public sector research agencies.”
“Where are the initiatives to generate and encourage tomorrow’s researchers, whether it be greater funding for basic research, increased places for postgraduate students or assistance to early career researchers? This matters given the ageing of the academic workforce, with the Government’s own figures showing that 72% of academic staff are over 40 and 39% are over 50.”
“In a year when we had a historically large surplus, the Government has squandered its opportunity to invest in our research community, and the vital work they do for Australia’s future.”
For Information andcomment
Dr Carolyn Allport, NTEU President: 0419 349 064
Andrew Nette, NTEU Policy and Research Coordinator: 0438 026277
POST BUDGET DOORSTOP
The National Tertiary Education Union, CSIRO Staff Association and the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations will hold a post-Budget night doorstop at Parliament House, Canberra, on Wednesday, 12 May at 10.30am at the Senate entrance.