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Boiling Blood
My blood continues to boil in reaction to the unprecedented waste of the Gillard/Rudd balls-up. They had in their hot little hands 80billion that they managed to make it vanish without a trac.
I don't care what your political persuasion I dont believe we either have a sufficiently competent bureaucracy, or sufficiently competent Pollies to entrust them with the $$$ that a first-class Space Agency would cost. On the other hand, I believe that we directed research could and would produce some tremendously worthwhile outcomes.
We need to look at how research is being funded in Aust. Lifting and raising the priority of research.
Famously, the South Australian shipyards have been described as being unable to build a canoe, yet alone a Sub, I believe there is some truth in that tongue in cheek statement. Though at the same time our track record with basic research is excellent, indeed world class.
When Aust turned its hand to Radio Astronomy we did some world-leading work. When ANSTO was receiving respectable funding we pushed the envelope there also. I believe the key with Science in Aust is... keep it small and keep it focused.... and FUND the thing! If we can make 80 billion disappear without a trace then surely we can find a couple of billion for something worthwhile.
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