Good afternoon Chair, and Committee members.
Thank you for the opportunity to appear today. I am here in my capacity as CEO of Science & Technology Australia, the peak body for Australia’s science and technology sectors. STA has a 40-year legacy as the sector’s advocate. We represent more than 250,000 scientists, engineers, educators and technologists across the country through our nearly 150 member organisations.
I want to acknowledge Dr Michael Dobbie, CEO of Phenomics Australia, a national research infrastructure facility and STA member, who has joined me to answer specific and detailed questions on the nature of research infrastructure cost increases across the sector.
CSIRO inspires great national pride. Its work – and impact – spans our cities and regions, and all aspects of Australians’ lives, from biosecurity to understanding the stars, from agriculture to health and wellbeing.
CSIRO is also deeply embedded in the broader research ecosystem. It is a vital partner in projects with universities and industry and hosts critical research infrastructure assets. Any reductions to CSIRO’s capacity to maintain this essential support will send far-reaching and enduring ripple effects across the R&D system.
The public and this Committee were rightly concerned about the announcements late last year, and what CSIRO job losses would mean for Australia. However, less well known is that this strain is present across Australia’s entire research system. CSIRO is the canary in the coal mine.
Commonwealth funding for R&D has increased modestly over the past decade. But, in real terms, after adjusting for inflation, funding rates have flatlined or declined.
Just like households are feeling the pinch of costs of living increasing faster than incomes, the research system is feeling the pinch of increasing research costs – from consumables to specialist equipment to wages – increasing faster than support from grants and appropriations.
And the sector is hurting. In 2025, STA found that nearly half of STEM professionals are thinking about leaving their role, most commonly citing insecure work and poor pay as the reasons.
Low success rates for competitive grants are a key contributor to this insecurity. This is not because funding agencies have less money at their disposal – it’s largely because demand is high and research is costing more, so project budgets are getting bigger, so fewer projects can be funded.
This is not sustainable. Australia must choose whether we value our research capability enough to fund it properly.
The joint statement issued just last week from Prime Minister Albanese and Canada’s Prime Minister Carney patently illustrates how important STEM is to Australia’s national, and global, priorities. We must deepen our STEM research capability, not let it be a casualty of ever tightening budgets.
We fully understand the constrained fiscal environment across government – and the many complex demands upon the public purse. But, Australia’s STEM capability is too important to our future wellbeing and economic prosperity to let it languish.
Once a research direction is discontinued, or a capability lost, it is complex and expensive to rebuild. Australia cannot afford to let CSIRO – or our broader research capabilities – suffer ’s death by a thousand cuts.
Our recommendations to this Inquiry are practical and focused. We are asking the Government to:
• Adopt an investor mindset – recognise that funding CSIRO, STEM research and research infrastructure is patient capital, invested in Australia’s sovereign capability
• Develop a new indexation rate for research funding that reflects the true rising cost of doing research
• Regularly review appropriations to ensure research agencies can sustain their operations, retain talented people, and maintain world-class infrastructure.
The Government’s Strategic Examination of Research & Development report is due to be released shortly. We hope the report’s recommendations and this inquiry underpin a national conversation on how Australia values and invests in our STEM capabilities.
Australia has the opportunity to supercharge its economy through STEM-based R&D. The STEM sector is ready to deliver – but can only do so with the Government’s backing.
Ryan WinnCEO, Science & Technology Australia
