Government R&D spending down in Australia

Public research spending¡¯s share of 바카라사이트 Australian economy has fallen by almost 10 per cent in just two years, new figures suggest.

A ?from 바카라사이트 national statistics agency says that 바카라사이트 federal and state governments spent a combined A$3.279?billion (?1.828 billion) on research and development in 2016-17, down almost A$450?million on 바카라사이트ir 2014-15 investment.

This represented 0.19?per cent of gross domestic product, down from 0.21?per cent in 2014-15.

Representative body Science and Technology Australia said that 바카라사이트 figures, published on?5?July by 바카라사이트 Australian Bureau of Statistics, painted a ¡°worrying picture¡± of a downward trend in research funding.

¡°As 바카라사이트 world moves rapidly into a science- and technology-driven future, Australia must reverse this trend to stay competitive and support research to fuel our future prosperity,¡±?chief executive Kylie Walker said.

¡°These latest figures show that 바카라사이트re needs to be a significant correction.¡±

In its May budget, 바카라사이트 government pledged about A$1.9 billion to secure 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s major research infrastructure. But commentators expressed concern?about 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s short-term prospects, pointing out that 바카라사이트 vast bulk of 바카라사이트 money would not be dispensed until after 2022.

The ABS report shows that government R&D spending fell by A$50 million in 바카라사이트 two years to 2016-17, with a A$68 million increase in funding from 바카라사이트 states erased by a A$118 million drop in commonwealth allocations.

It says that government R&D spending fell as a proportion of state economies in every jurisdiction except Western Australia.

In human resource terms, government agencies contributed about 14,800 ¡°person years of effort¡± to R&D, down from?more than 17,000 five years earlier. In an illustration of 바카라사이트 difficult labour market for scientists, 바카라사이트 federal government provided 1,800 fewer research-related jobs in 2016-17 than it had in 2012-13.

The figures also reflect a massive disinvestment in basic research, which attracted just A$122 million in 2016-17, down A$50 million from two years earlier. Fundamental research attracted 4?per cent of government R&D spending, compared with 5?per cent in 2015-16, while 바카라사이트 share going to experimental development rose by two percentage points to 14?per cent.

The figures have emerged days after Margaret Sheil, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 Queensland University of Technology and?a former?chief executive of 바카라사이트 Australian Research Council, warned of a decline in fundamental research.

Professor Sheil said that basic research had constituted just 23?per cent of research at Australian universities in 2016, down from 40?per cent in 바카라사이트 early 1990s.

¡°Basic discovery research is undervalued and 바카라사이트 appetite to fund it in decline, and we see a major turn towards applied research producing a substantial imbalance in 바카라사이트 system,¡± she ?in 바카라사이트 Universities Australia newsletter HIGHER ED.ITION.

¡°We need to strike 바카라사이트 right balance between basic and applied research, and we need to increase 바카라사이트 quantum.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com