Federal Budget 2015 - Deep science funding cuts on the horizon

Today’s Federal Budget shows that while there is a welcome reprieve for science funding in 2015-16, further deep cuts of around $290 million to key Australian science and research programs lie on the horizon.

Despite immediate relief for the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure scheme (NCRIS) and an ongoing commitment to establish a Medical Research Future Fund, overall funding for science in Australia will continue to decline.

“It’s great that NCRIS facilities will continue to be supported for the next two years but significant reductions to block grants to researchers in universities is like taking engines off the jumbo jet,” said Australian Academy of Science President Professor Andrew Holmes

“You need to fund the scientists as well as the tools they need to do their work, it can’t be one or the other. NCRIS needs a long-term sustainable funding model.

“While there are forecast selective cuts there have also been selective increases, and we look forward to seeing those increases sustained into the future.

“The Government has committed to working with the Australian Chief Scientist and the Commonwealth Science Council to develop a national strategy for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). This is a welcome move, but it is absolutely imperative that this strategy is linked to significant additional funding for the sector, and that this funding begins to flow soon,” said Professor Holmes.

“The Industry Minister and Prime Minister say they want to see science play a greater role with industry and yet in this budget we’re seeing nearly $30 million cut from Cooperative Research Centres, that are designed to help improve collaboration with business. What will replace them in generating jobs from research and development?

“As the mining boom slows, this should be a time of growth in science funding to allow us to better prepare for the knowledge economy we need. Instead our future prosperity is at risk,” he said.

Ticks and crosses for the 2015 science budget:

The crosses

• $262.5 million cuts to university block grants
• $26.8 million cut to Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs)

The ticks

• Two-year continued funding for NCRIS
• Establishment of the Medical Research Future Fund
• $13 million extra for the Australian Synchrotron
• $22.3 million increase for ANSTO
• $9.4 million increase for Antarctic research and $15.3 million for tropical medical research