Budget signals support for ambitious reform for Australian science

The Australian Academy of Science has welcomed a number of measures in the 2026–27 Federal Budget as a commitment on long-overdue science reform. 

This budget will establish the National Resilience and Science Council. The Council is the foundation of the reform proposed in the Ambitious Australia report resulting from the Strategic Examination of Research and Development.  

The Council will be key to bringing coordination to a fragmented science system and will ensure science is at the centre of government decision-making. 

Other measures to implement the Ambitious Australia report recommendations include changes to better target the Research and Development Tax Incentive.  

The Academy welcomes the government’s commitment to lift the cap on spending from the Medical Research Future Fund, which will increase disbursements from $650.0 million in 2025–26 to $1.0 billion annually from 2030–31.  

This will allow medical researchers to make life-saving discoveries without depleting the underlying capital of the fund. 

The Academy also welcomes the following measures in tonight’s budget: 

• $387.4 million over four years to support the financial stability of the CSIRO. CSIRO is also receiving investments for the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness and its STEM Professionals in Schools program.
• $10.6 million over two years from 2026–27 for the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation to continue radiological baselining and monitoring and advise on the safe implementation of nuclear technology.
• $24.3 million over two years to uplift operating resources for the NHMRC, including conducting a feasibility study for a Research Grant Hub.
• $273 million over four years from 2026-27 for the National Measurement Institute.
• $105.9 million over four years from 2026–27 for the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) and the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) to modernise environmental information, data and digital systems.  

The Academy also welcomes continued Government support for the Academy’s STEM education programs. The Academy will receive $1.8 million in 2026-27 to extend its school programs to boost the confidence and capability of STEM teachers and their students. 

Academy President Professor Chennupati Jagadish AC said teachers are facing unprecedented workload pressures, workforce shortages and out‑of‑field teaching demands.

"Continued investment in this program is welcome news for schools, teachers and students across Australia. 

"Building on this commitment with multi-year funding is the natural next step. That kind of certainty allows schools to plan, supports teachers' ongoing development, and lets the benefits of these programs compound year on year which is exactly what Australia's future STEM workforce will need.

Professor Jagadish added that genuine reform processes are difficult. 

"Some elements of the Budget are disappointing, including the repurposing of Australia’s Economic Accelerator Program to fund many of these measures. 

"There is also a lack of forward investment in national research infrastructure including high-performance computing. 

"Overall, the absence of a material increase in the government’s investment in science means these initial reforms are only a welcome first step and more is needed.   

“The Ambitious Australia report recognised that a truly coordinated science system cannot be built without courageous decisions about structures and priorities, and we acknowledge these important first step of these reforms."