Universities Australia today sounded a warning that the announced restructure and workforce reduction at Australia's national science agency, the CSIRO, underscore the very real risks of chronic under-funding in the nation's research system.
"When our national flagship science agency is forced to shed hundreds of jobs and narrow its research focus, it sends a clear message: Australia's research engine is running short of fuel," Chief Executive Officer Luke Sheehy said.
"This isn't just a CSIRO issue - it's a warning light for the entire research ecosystem.
"Australia is being outspent and outpaced by the world, Australia currently invests 1.69 per cent of GDP in R&D - well below the OECD average of 2.7 per cent and far behind innovation leaders like South Korea and Germany who invest over 3 per cent.
"If we continue to under-invest, we will lose the talent, infrastructure and breakthroughs that drive jobs, national security and technological strength.
"Research is not a cost it is critical national infrastructure.
"Whether it's medical breakthroughs, clean energy technologies, defence capability, cybersecurity or agriculture, research is the backbone of national strength.
"Australia risks falling behind at a time we need to be moving faster.
"The government's Strategic Examination of R&D is a crucial opportunity to fix these structural problems, but it must lead to real reform, not another layer of complexity," Mr Sheehy said.
Universities Australia is calling for urgent action to:
- lift investment to match global competitors or at least to the OECD average
- simplify and coordinate the research system which is currently spread across 150 programs and 14 government portfolios
- develop a whole-of-government research workforce strategy
- support better collaboration with industry, and
- support a coordinated approach to international collaboration including a commitment to join Horizon Europe.
"Australia doesn't lack talent or ideas - we lack a system and investment level that match our ambition. This is the moment to fix that," Mr Sheehy said.
