Member Login - Account - Logout

Science and Technology Australia
  • Home
  • About STA
    • Who is STA?
    • Our history
    • Alliances and Partnerships
    • Board
    • Governance
    • Reconciliation Action Plan
    • Work for us
    • Policy Vision
    • Policy Wins
  • News and Publications
    • Latest news
    • Reports and publications
  • Our Programs
    • Science Meets Parliament
    • Parliamentary Friends of Science
    • Superstars of STEM
    • Science Policy Fellows Alumni
    • Super STEM communicator workshop
    • STEM Ambassadors
  • Events
    • Science Meets Parliament 2023
  • Membership
    • Our Members
    • Why be a member?
    • Member Benefits Program
    • Join STA
    • Member How-to Guides
    • Login to member portal
    • Register for member portal
  • Contact
    • Media
  • Home
  • About STA
    • Who is STA?
    • Our history
    • Alliances and Partnerships
    • Board
    • Governance
    • Reconciliation Action Plan
    • Work for us
    • Policy Vision
    • Policy Wins
  • News and Publications
    • Latest news
    • Reports and publications
  • Our Programs
    • Science Meets Parliament
    • Parliamentary Friends of Science
    • Superstars of STEM
    • Science Policy Fellows Alumni
    • Super STEM communicator workshop
    • STEM Ambassadors
  • Events
    • Science Meets Parliament 2023
  • Membership
    • Our Members
    • Why be a member?
    • Member Benefits Program
    • Join STA
    • Member How-to Guides
    • Login to member portal
    • Register for member portal
  • Contact
    • Media
10 August 2022

Shadow Science Minister Paul Fletcher’s speech at National Science Week launch

Paul Fletcher MP speaks at National Science Week Launch
Shadow Minister for Science Paul Fletcher MP speaks at National Science Week 2022 launch event at Parliament House.

Shadow Science Minister Paul Fletcher MP gave the following speech during the launch of National Science Week at Parliament House on Thursday 4 August.


Well thank you very much, Misha, its great to be here for the launch of National Science Week which, as has rightly been mentioned, has enjoyed strong bi-partisan and indeed, cross party support for many, many years.

I will seek to be digitally compressed with my remarks as we’re under some time pressure here so I want to incorporate by reference some of the acknowledgements the Minister made – congratulations, Ed, on becoming the Minister for Science, Melissa Price, of course, what a great job you did, but I do want to particularly acknowledge Cathy Foley, my constituent, who did such great work at CSIRO and now doing such a great job as the Chief Scientist. And can I acknowledge all the many friends and supporters of science who are here.

Friends, we know that the extraordinary growth in prosperity, in safety, in quality of life that has characterised life in advanced nations like Australia over the last 100, 200, 300 years reflects science. It reflects centuries of achievements – the Watson and Crick, Marie Curie, Nikola Tesla, and of course the names go on, and in Australia we see that tradition of research and the application of research in things that we’re all intensely proud of: the bionic ear from Cochlear, the cervical cancer vaccine, Wi-Fi – of course, developed by CSIRO. We can talk about whether it was commercialised as successfully as it could have been, who ended up getting the money, but the science was great. I’d also like to mention Baraja, a company commercialising LiDAR technology for driverless vehicles which spent a period in the incubator at CSIRO in West Lindfield that Cathy led so successfully.

So, friends, Science Week is an opportunity to reflect on all of this, to acknowledge the extraordinary contribution to our prosperity and our quality of life that fundamentally depends upon science and on fundamental research.

I’m proud to have been part of a Coalition Government where we committed more than $93 billion in science, research and innovation, more than $12 billion for science and technology over the last two years alone, and supported hundreds of thousands of highly skilled Australian jobs. Now the baton has passed to the other side of the House, but we can say, I think confidently, that there is strong support for science across the Parliament and across the community. The priorities of National Science Week including increasing the role of girls and women in STEM are enormously important.

Congratulations to all involved and let us recognise that Science Week is about increasing awareness amongst policymakers, the fundamental importance of science, increasing awareness and interest amongst young people about the career opportunities – the very satisfying and fulfilling career opportunities – in science. And, as the Minister mentioned, there is high community confidence in, and awareness of, science but that needs to be constantly worked at and Science Week is part of that. For all those reasons, the Opposition, the Coalition is very pleased to be expressing our strong support for Science Week.

ENDS

Share
national science week State of Science Index
Previous StoryNational Science Week 2022 events
Next StoryPass the climate legislation and ‘name and fame’ transition leaders

Related Articles

  • National Science Week events
    National Science Week 2022 events
  • Marles_webstory_220809_2
    Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles' speech to launch National Science Week

ABOUT US

Science & Technology Australia (STA) is Australia’s peak body in science and technology. We represent more than 115,000 scientists and technologists. STA is an influential voice for evidence and expertise in public policy.

Recent news

  • Nominations open for the STA Policy Committee and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee
  • Australia must not miss our ChatGPT moment
  • STA launches Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan

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

  • Working in STEM careers? Have your say and you could WIN a $500 JBHiFi voucher
  • STA launches Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan
  • STA backs Voice to Parliament
  • 2023 Federal Budget: Laying strategic foundations for science
  • Bumper boost to R&D should power Accord

Sign up to our newsletter

STA PRIVACY POLICY

OTHER STA POLICIES

Twitter feed

  • RT @prof_hutchinson: At Parliament House today talking about @OpenAI @New_GPT AI ML Deep Learning and everything in between. “It’s not ma…
  • RT @RichardMHarvey: Fascinating discussion about generative AI at this morning’s Parliamentary Friends of Science event - lots of opportuni…
  • RT @mumwhostats: Incredible discussion about the future of generative (and otherwise) AI in Australia at the parliamentary friends of scien…
  • RT @WomenSciAUST: Complete the @ScienceAU STEM Career Pathways survey. Share widely, as insights are needed from people working in STEM car…
Follow us

Science and Technology Australia Limited (ACN 664 679 056 and ABN 71 626 822 845) (STA) 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.

Registered charity logo
Click here for more info
  • HOME
  • News and media releases
  • Become a member
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Copyright © 2023 Science & Technology Australia. All Rights Reserved