Member Login - Account - Logout

Science and Technology Australia
  • Home
  • About STA
    • Who is STA?
    • Our history
    • Alliances and Partnerships
    • Board and Executive
    • Governance
    • Work for us
    • Reconciliation Action Plan
    • 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 and Executive
    • Governance
    • Work for us
    • Reconciliation Action Plan
    • 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
22 April 2017

Prominent Australians point to science as antidote for ‘alternative facts’

microbial bacteria petree dish

Australian celebrities and world-renowned scientists and technologists have signed an Open Letter to reinforce their support for, and the significant value of, science and technology.

With ‘alternative facts’ on the rise and a growing disregard for evidence-based decision making internationally, these leading Australians have spoken out in defence of pursuing and using evidence to make important decisions for our lives and futures.

“We are extremely fortunate to have sound community and government support for science and technology in Australia, but with a growing distrust and disregard for science around the world, we thought it time to speak out,” said Kylie Walker, CEO of Science & Technology Australia.

“When important decisions need to be made, the answer should be informed by science.”

Signatories of the Open Letter include comedian and director Tim Minchin; director and businessman Todd Sampson; Nobel Laureate Professor Brian Schmidt; Australian of the Year Emeritus Professor Alan Mackay-Sim; author and comedian Adam Spencer; Deputy Vice Chancellor Research and Innovation at the University of South Australia, Professor Tanya Monro; and many more prominent Australians who support and defend the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The Open Letter coincides with the global March for Science, which is expected to attract millions of participants internationally.

“In Australia, it’s important that we emphasise the need for our own government to enable research through long-term and strategic investment in science and technology,” said Professor Jim Piper, President of Science & Technology Australia.

“Australia is making great progress towards this, but we can’t lose sight of what could go wrong if we fail.”

Ms Walker said the Letter was also intended to demonstrate Australia’s commitment to furthering knowledge beyond our own borders.

“Science is by its very nature a collaborative enterprise. International cooperation between researchers is vital to advancing the sum of knowledge,” she said.

“The common language of science bridges cultural divides, leads to richer exploration of ideas from new perspectives, and serves to make the world healthier and more resilient when faced by a period of global change.”

Media contact:Dion Pretorius | dion.pretorius@sta.org.au | 0418 281 777

Share
Adam Spencer australia engineering famous australian international collaboration march for science march for science australia open letter policy Professor Brian Schmidt Professor Tanya Monro science science funding support technology Tim Minchin Todd Sampson
Previous StoryOpen Letter for Science
Next StoryGround-breaking program to support female stars of science and technology

Related Articles

  • climate_change_legislation(2)_220815
    Pass the climate legislation and ‘name and fame’ transition leaders
  • markus-spiske-IiEFmIXZWSw-unsplash
    Nominations open for the STA Policy Committee and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee

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

  • STA Welcomes National Reconstruction Fund
  • Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic’s National Press Club address – Science Meets Parliament 2023
  • Win up to $100,000 investment to commercialise your clean agri-food technology

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

  • SMP 2023 scholarships: open now
  • STA backs Voice to Parliament
  • Nine scoop a scholarship to Science Meets Parliament
  • A science future fund to supercharge economic growth: Budget 2023
  • Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic’s National Press Club address – Science Meets Parliament 2023

Sign up to our newsletter

STA PRIVACY POLICY

OTHER STA POLICIES

Twitter feed

  • On behalf of our 139 member organisations and the 115,000 Aus STEM professionals they represent, @ScienceAU made a… https://t.co/B5OASWayOm
  • “The NRF will be a transformative investment in our country’s future economic security powered by home-grown scienc… https://t.co/9IzR6OGRI2
  • The NRF significantly boosts Australia’s pool of investment for next-gen materials development, value-adding and ad… https://t.co/hprPIMjcD3
  • @ScienceAU welcomes Australia’s National Reconstruction Fund. The NRF is a powerful new investment in the country’s… https://t.co/uZIRfMFqO7
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