Science and Technology Australia - Media Release 24 June 2020

Today’s reaffirmation that science will be core to Australia’s future economic growth, new industries and new jobs has been welcomed by the science and technology sector.

In a speech to the National Press Club, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said Australia’s success to contain COVID-19 was due to a strong bipartisan embrace of scientific expertise.

Science & Technology Australia President Associate Professor Jeremy Brownlie said it was pleasing to see a strong bipartisan understanding that science and technology are major economic drivers.

“Expert scientific and medical expertise has steered Australia safely through the COVID crisis,” he said.

“Now we must take that same approach for science and technology to shape the economic recovery and create new jobs, businesses and industries.”

STA also welcomed the call for Australia to enhance our future pandemic preparedness with a continued focus on advance planning.

Science & Technology Australia Chief Executive Officer Misha Schubert said the sector welcomed the focus on how to generate stronger economic opportunities from new technologies like AI.

“A national centre for AI excellence would help Australia to a bigger slice of the estimated US$16 trillion global industry,” she said.

“We welcome a strong bipartisan commitment to be guided by scientific expertise in policy right across our economy and society.”

STA is pleased to see the Opposition’s description of research and development as an investment not a cost.

In recent years, STA has proposed a research translation fund to help boost private sector investment in R&D.   

For interviews or further comment, please call STA on 02 6257 2891.