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
  • STA Membership
    • STA Membership
    • Our Members
    • Member How-to Guides
    • 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
  • STA Membership
    • STA Membership
    • Our Members
    • Member How-to Guides
    • Login to member portal
    • Register for member portal
  • Contact
6 May 2016

From the Federal Budget lockup

budget papers

It is no surprise that there is little new for science in tonight’s Federal Budget. After the announcement of the $1.1 Billion National Innovation and Science Agenda (NISA) last December, it was unlikely additional measures would follow.

Some measures include:
$110.5 million to Geoscience Australia to produce geographic modeling of mineral, groundwater and petroleum resources across South Australia and Northern Australia;
Tax cuts for small and medium-sized businesses, which will reap benefits for small science and technology-based ventures that are driving innovating;
$15 million for a national carp control plan;
The Bureau of Meteorology will receive funding to maintain its supercomputer capabilities, with the total amount commercial-in-confidence;
The Great Barrier Reef Plan and Trust will get a $171 million boost, extending the program to make the reef more resilient;
$12 million for an extension of the Australian Astronomical Observatory, taking it out to 2019/20
(The CRC program is described as providing some of the savings to fund the AAO. The exact amount is not clear.)

Many members will be interested in the fate of the controversial higher education reforms of 2014/15 (full fee deregulation and a 20 per cent cut to funding per student place). The 20 per cent cut has remained in the assumptions that underlie the Budget. However, policy decisions have not been finalised on these and other significant higher education issues. Instead, the Government has issued a paper as part of the Budget. “Driving Innovation, Fairness and Excellence in Australian Higher Education” canvasses a wide range of issues and options, with policy determinations to be finalised by year’s end.

There will be initiatives of interest to members buried in the detailed Portfolio Budget Statements for individual Federal Departments. Direct links to all of these documents are included.

As usual we welcome any input, hints and useful intelligence as we continue to dig through the documents in the coming days.

Catriona Jackson, STA CEO.

Share
australia budget climate science cuts to science federal government funding for climate higher education industry innovation science funding science policy tech technology funding
Previous StoryCSIRO must do more to limit damage
Next StorySTA announces new CEO

Related Articles

  • Image by bokskapet on Pixabay.
    Budget 2022: Time to 'double down' on our science investment
  • arctic-139399_1280
    IPCC report a stark warning on the need for ambitious climate action

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

  • Honouring Indigenous Knowledge, Leadership, and Connection This NAIDOC Week
  • Research and innovation will lift Australia out of the productivity doldrums
  • Congratulations to STA President Sharath Sriram – new Chief Scientist of Western Australia

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

  • R&D investment a sure bet on the future
  • Congratulations to STA President Sharath Sriram – new Chief Scientist of Western Australia
  • Congratulations Labor – now let’s build an Australia powered by Australian ideas
  • Research and innovation will lift Australia out of the productivity doldrums
  • 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