The Australian Academy of Science has put the federal government on notice that Australia's reputation as a “clever country” is at risk, appealing directly to Tony Abbott to reverse $431.5 million in science funding slashed by Labor in the past two years.
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And Australia's chief scientist, Ian Chubb, has called for the federal government to take a more strategic, whole-of-sector approach to investment in research.
The Prime Minster was criticised last September, including by a member of his own backbench, after announcing the first federal cabinet since 1931 not to include a science minister. Responsibility for the portfolio was handed to Industry Minister Ian MacFarlane.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has since promised to be a champion of science and taken direct responsibility for the portfolio.
In a submission to the federal government's Commission of Audit, the Academy said Australia invested just 2.2 per cent of gross domestic product in research and development and had fallen behind other nations “despite their far more difficult financial and economic circumstances”.
In comparison, the US spent about 2.79 per cent, South Korea 4.36 per cent and Israel 4.2 per cent of its gross domestic product, while the OECD average is 2.4 per cent.
The submission said the Commonwealth had cut $140.5 million in science investment in 2012-13 and another $291 million in 2013-14.
Since the Coalition was elected, the CSIRO has flagged up to 1400 jobs of its 6500 strong workforce could go because of a public service hiring freeze.
Academy of Science policy director Les Field said Australia's scientific community was watching carefully to see if Mr Abbott kept his word to “support science to the fullest extent possible”.
The Coalition's Commission of Audit is currently looking for billions in savings across government, but before the election the then opposition promised not to cut research funding.
“What has been missing under Labor has been a longer term strategic vision. This is a chance for them [the Coalition] to demonstrate their commitment to science,” Professor Field said.
“We risk giving up the idea of being a clever country. This government and previous governments recognised we must move away from our reliance on manufacturing and mining. Well, research and innovation can really drive new industries.”
“We should be near the top of the OECD range, not at the lower end of the table. Our peers, particularly in Asia, are making investment in science a priority.”
Professor Chubb said he was not concerned about the lack of a specific science minister as long as Mr MacFarlane, Education Minister Christopher Pyne and other ministers were “passionate advocates” for science around the cabinet table.
He said early meetings with Mr Abbott and Mr MacFarlane had gone well but warned the Commonwealth needed to be more strategic about what it invested in.
“We need to decide whether everything we do now should be done or whether investment is spread too widely," he said.
“Funding for science and research and development is spread across a very large number of programs. I think the need for a national strategy is critically important.”
Professor Field, who is also deputy vice chancellor of research at the University of NSW, said research and development needed longer then the three year electoral cycle to deliver results.
Successive governments had invested millions in projects, like the $200 million Synchrotron in Melbourne, Professor Field said, but then failed to allocate funding for the life of the project. More money also needed to be spent supporting early and mid-career researchers, he said.
