The federal government has been accused of \u201crobbing Peter to pay Paul\u201d over the budget axing of a $760m research commercialisation program in order to fund other science initiatives.<\/p>\n
The budget includes a $387.4m boost<\/a> to \u201csupport the financial sustainability\u201d of the beleaguered national science agency<\/a> CSIRO, as well as $273m for the National Measurement Institute.<\/p>\n But the government plans to pay for these measures by \u201creturning uncommitted funding from the Australia\u2019s Economic Accelerator program, which is expected to decrease payments by $759.9m over the five years to 2029\u201330\u201d.<\/p>\n The axing of the program, which was established in 2023 to \u201csupport the translation of research into real\u2011world economic and social benefits\u201d, has angered researchers who say the decision undermines the government\u2019s own priorities.<\/p>\n In a statement on the AEA website, it said funding for new projects \u201cwill not continue beyond the 2025\u201326 financial year\u201d, with current grants unchanged.<\/p>\n Prof Melanie Davern, director of the Australian Urban Observatory at RMIT University, learned on Monday that she had wasted months preparing an AEA grant proposal for a funding round that closed in March.<\/p>\n Davern expressed frustration at the axing of program funding \u201capplied research that would have major social, economic, environmental benefits\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is nothing [else] available that will support this,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Davern\u2019s proposal, relating to AI in urban planning, involved a business case and four industry partners, including an ASX-listed developer. \u201cIt took us at least three months, if not more time, to prepare this,\u201d she said. \u201cI still haven\u2019t actually been notified officially by the government [about the AEA\u2019s axing].\u201d<\/p>\n At Davern\u2019s university alone there were about 85 applications in the same round, and she pointed to the time and effort wasted by researchers and university staff across Australia.<\/p>\n \u201cThe big problem here is that there is not enough investment going in,\u201d she said. \u201cObviously, yes, CSIRO<\/a> needs support. But this is like robbing Peter to pay Paul.\u201d<\/p>\n Investment in research and development (R&D) in Australia as a proportion of GDP is about 1.7%<\/a>, well below the OECD average of 2.7%.<\/p>\n