Member Login - Account - Logout

Science and Technology Australia
  • Home
  • About STA
    • About Us
    • Executive and governance
    • Reconciliation Action Plan
    • Policy Vision
    • Policy Wins
    • Work for us
  • News and Publications
    • Latest news
    • Submissions, reports and publications
    • 2025 STA Federal Election Priorities
  • Our Programs
    • Science Meets Parliament
    • Superstars of STEM
    • Super STEM workshops
    • STEM Ambassadors
    • Parliamentary Friends of Science
    • Science Policy Fellows Alumni
  • Membership
    • Our Members
    • Why be a member?
    • Member Benefits Program
    • Member How-to Guides
    • Join STA
    • Login to member portal
    • Register for member portal
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About STA
    • About Us
    • Executive and governance
    • Reconciliation Action Plan
    • Policy Vision
    • Policy Wins
    • Work for us
  • News and Publications
    • Latest news
    • Submissions, reports and publications
    • 2025 STA Federal Election Priorities
  • Our Programs
    • Science Meets Parliament
    • Superstars of STEM
    • Super STEM workshops
    • STEM Ambassadors
    • Parliamentary Friends of Science
    • Science Policy Fellows Alumni
  • Membership
    • Our Members
    • Why be a member?
    • Member Benefits Program
    • Member How-to Guides
    • Join STA
    • Login to member portal
    • Register for member portal
  • Contact
1 January 2000

Australian Science: an Investment for the 21st Century

Australian Science: an Investment for the 21st Century

This document outlines a vision for Australian science and technology published in the year 2000.

Then President, Dr Sue Serjeantson said:

Not so long ago, the idea that scientific knowledge drives the global economy was dismissed in political circles as left-leaning ideology or as special pleading for funds by naive scientists. But recently, the idea that social and economic well-being is critically dependent on knowledge and its application has gained credence world-wide. For Australia to participate fully in the knowledge-based economy, our science policy needs urgent attention.

Developed countries with comparatively scarce natural resources, such as Sweden and Switzerland, have long relied on innovation for competitive advantage and will make the transition to the 21st century with ease.

For Australia, with an historic dependence on natural resources and, until recently, a poor record in commercialising research, the transition may be more difficult. FASTS represents some 50,000 working scientists and this document presents their ideas on policies that would boost the Research and Development capacity of the nation and catapult us into the next century. The document calls for a national vision of science and technology.

Read the document in full

Note: This was published when Science & Technology Australia was known as the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies (FASTS).

Share
2000 advocacy australia plan policy science technology vision
Next StoryAustralian Science: Investing in the Future

Related Articles

  • Reef photo taken from above.
    Nominations open for the STA Policy Committee and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee
  • climate_change_legislation(2)_220815
    Pass the climate legislation and ‘name and fame’ transition leaders

ABOUT US

Science & Technology Australia (STA) is Australia’s peak body in science and technology. We represent more than 235,000 scientists, engineers and technologists. STA is an influential voice for evidence and expertise in public policy.

Recent news

  • Congratulations to STA President Sharath Sriram – new Chief Scientist of Western Australia
  • Nominations open: Join an STA Committee or the new Friends of the Chair initiative.
  • Congratulations Labor – now let’s build an Australia powered by Australian ideas

Our members

  • All Members
  • Agricultural and Food Sciences
  • Aquatic Sciences
  • Biological Sciences
  • Chemical Sciences
  • General Science and Technology
  • Geographical and Geological Sciences
  • Mathematical Sciences
  • Medical and Cognitive Sciences
  • Physical Sciences
  • Plant and Ecological Sciences
  • Technological Sciences

Search for news

Most popular

  • Budget 2025: R&D the answer to Australia’s seismic challenges
  • Congratulations Labor – now let’s build an Australia powered by Australian ideas
  • R&D investment a sure bet on the future
  • Congratulations to STA President Sharath Sriram – new Chief Scientist of Western Australia
  • Nominations open: Join an STA Committee or the new Friends of the Chair initiative.

Sign up to our newsletter

Science and Technology Australia Limited (STA) (ACN 664 679 056 and ABN 71 626 822 845) is a company limited by guarantee. STA was formerly known as Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies Inc and was authorised under section 82 of the Associations Incorporation Act 1991 (ACT) to transfer its registration under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) to its new company structure on 3 January 2023.

STA PRIVACY POLICY

OTHER STA POLICIES

ACNC Registered Charity Logo

Copyright © 2024 Science & Technology Australia. All Rights Reserved