CAPA MEDIA RELEASE: AUSTRALIA’S NATIONAL RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE: WE’RE ON A ROAD TO NOWHERE

The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) is appalled at yet another attempt to siphon funding from national research by the current Federal Government. The Education Investment Fund (EIF) was responsible for funding approximately 100 research initiatives by December 2013[1] and has the potential to fund Australia’s National Research Infrastructure into the future.

The release of the 2016 National Infrastructure Roadmap Draft whilst simultaneously gutting a further $3.2 billion from research funding is like drawing a roadmap but selling the car.

The Roadmap draft, which has had limited time for feedback, provides a list of essential national research infrastructure but no notion as to how these projects will be funded.

Instead of using the EIF to fund essential research projects there is now an irrational attempt to scrap the EIF whilst subjecting essential research infrastructure laid out in the roadmap to further delays.

“The research sector in Australia is already lagging behind the rest of the world after years of funding uncertainty, budget cuts, and endless reviews,” said CAPA National President Peter Derbyshire.

“This is growing to be another case of talking about investment in research but delaying the funding needed to make it work.”

“The Federal Government is talking a big game when it comes to research and innovation and now it is time to act. The Roadmap is there, the funding is there and it is time to set off on the innovation journey, not sell the car,” said Mr Derbyshire.

END.

For comment: Peter Derbyshire CAPA National President president@capa.edu.au

CAPA Media Release Australias National Research Infrastructure