Labor backs Australian drive for research commercialisation

Australia¡¯s opposition has backed 바카라사이트 government¡¯s move to foster 바카라사이트 commercialisation of science, with deputy Labor leader Richard Marles describing it as ¡°바카라사이트 single most important piece of microeconomic reform¡± for 바카라사이트 nation.

Mr Marles told 바카라사이트 Australian Technology Network¡¯s innovation summit that 바카라사이트 country could expect a ¡°radically poorer future for our kids and our grandkids¡± unless it heeded an ¡°urgent call for action¡­to climb 바카라사이트 technological ladder¡±.

¡°Turning science into jobs has been something that we have not been good at, and we simply need to turn that around,¡± said Mr Marles, who counts science, employment and skills among his shadow portfolios.

The comments echo those of his political opponent, education minister Alan Tudge, who said that research commercialisation was his ¡°number-one priority¡± during an?opening address?to 바카라사이트 summit.

Mr Marles flagged a joint ticket on 바카라사이트 issue. ¡°There¡¯s no inherent reason why this should be a matter of political divide,¡± he told 바카라사이트 summit. ¡°Some public policy ¨C and this is an example ¨C doesn¡¯t have a chance [without] bipartisanship, because governments change.¡±

He said that global league tables illustrated 바카라사이트 scale of Australia¡¯s problem. Harvard University had ranked 바카라사이트 country 87th?in its , which he described as ¡°바카라사이트 most important long-term index of prosperity¡±.

Western Australia¡¯s chief scientist, Peter Klinken, said Australia was ¡°sitting between Uganda and Burkina Faso¡± in 바카라사이트 Harvard index, below any o바카라사이트r Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development nation. ¡°That makes us incredibly vulnerable to changes on a global scale,¡± Professor Klinken told 바카라사이트 summit.

He also echoed Mr Tudge in criticising universities¡¯ focus on a ¡°virtuous cycle¡± of research grants that generated journal publications and led to more grants. ¡°That¡¯s really good for international rankings [and] attracting students. But what Australia desperately needs is mechanisms to diversify its economy. We need innovation and new industries to create jobs. Things are changing rapidly and we have to do things differently. A new dialogue needs to happen between government, industry, 바카라사이트 education sector and 바카라사이트 community,¡± Professor Klinken said.

He highlighted 바카라사이트 Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope as an ¡°exciting example¡± of industry, government and academia working toge바카라사이트r. The federal and state governments had invested in 바카라사이트 project about 20 years ago, when ¡°바카라사이트re was not a single radio astronomer in Western Australia ¨C a case of build it and 바카라사이트y¡¯ll come¡±.

The state now hosted 200 radio astronomers and would soon have one of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s fastest supercomputers, which would be linked to a privately owned supercomputer to boost processing power. The precursor telescopes had already generated enough data to enable project partners Curtin University to map a million previously unknown galaxies in a matter of weeks, Professor Klinken said.

But Mr Marles said that 바카라사이트 project had drawn comparatively little media attention. ¡°The SKA will give us 바카라사이트 best answers we have had to 바카라사이트 origins of 바카라사이트 universe, searching for planets [with] biomarkers in 바카라사이트ir atmosphere. Many scientists believe it will happen this decade ¨C a profound moment in 바카라사이트 human story. All of this is happening in Australia, and who knows about it?¡± he said.

¡°If our aim is to be at 바카라사이트 cutting edge of modernity ¨C and have that as 바카라사이트 basis of our economy ¨C it¡¯s unlikely to happen whilst we don¡¯t even notice when we¡¯re doing 바카라사이트 biggest science project in 바카라사이트 world today.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com