Australia - Land of Science and Innovation

[Solanum]

Well, after 10 years of a degrading science budget under the Howard government our new lords and masters, having claimed that such would be at the forefront of their thinking, have continued the trend and as a result CSIRO are culling another four research stations and associated staff. There again, when we have so much money coming in from mining what interest could there be in maintaining our agricultural sector?

Still, it could be worse, I'll probably just have to swap my dark skies for the light pollution of Adelaide. Plenty of my colleagues won't be so lucky.

[Glenhuon (Bill)]

Solanum, you have been out in the scrub too long mate. Science and technology are only the realm of computer upgrades and the latest X-box/Playstation. Food growing is gardeners stuff.

Seriously, I agree with you, typical short sighted Pollies.

Bill

[Chippy (Nick)]

Totally agree with you. Just when we should be putting more money into science & development the pollies r cutting again. Lets hope some common sense prevails... soon.

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

I appreciate your post and share your concern...it has been surprising to me how little money is spent on education (relative to the overall resource commodity boom driven surplus) in general and Agriculture in particular.

Yes, I do have a vested interest in Agriculture but I think an opportunity was lost in the recent budget to create an "Education nation" and also fix some of the problems with current and future water availability and allocation...but I'm starting to rant...

On the positive side, future food shortages will help aide in the fight against obesity in Australia!

[AstralTraveller (David)]

So what other areas of CSIRO have been cut? I heard that ANSTO will have to cut about 80 positions. [Before anyone jumps in: ANSTO is much more than just the nuclear stuff, not that I have a problem with that side of it anyway. There are over 100 labs covering areas from materials' science to carbon dating to hydrology.]

It's all a disgrace.

[acropolite (Phil)]

Politics is the art of appearing to do something, while at the same time doing little or nothing and delivering the nations wealth in to the hands of the corporate big guns. Look at the support for the coal industry and the lack of support for sustainables, a perfect example.

[Solanum]

Originally Posted by AstralTraveller

So what other areas of CSIRO have been cut? I heard that ANSTO will have to cut about 80 positions. [Before anyone jumps in: ANSTO is much more than just the nuclear stuff, not that I have a problem with that side of it anyway. There are over 100 labs covering areas from materials' science to carbon dating to hydrology.]

It's all a disgrace.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...21/2251853.htm

[Solanum]

SPECIFIC DECISIONS RESPONDING TO 2008/09 FEDERAL BUDGET

Reduce Livestock Industries site footprint – close Bakers Hill, WA and the Rendel Laboratory, Rockhampton, QLD

Reduce Plant Industry site footprint – close Laboratory at Merbein VIC

Integrate Forest Biosciences capability into other Divisions, close Cooroy, QLD and move staff from Yarralumla, ACT to Black Mountain or Gungahlin, ACT

Merge the Textiles and Fibre Technology (CTFT) Division with the Materials Science and Engineering (CMSE) Division to reduce overheads and rationalise the research portfolio

[Dog Star (Phil)]

A pitiful result from a party that has always prided itself as being health and education friendly.
Can someone possibly explain this to me? The economy is supposedly robust: so cutbacks in spending on agricultural research are necessary?
Does that mean that if you've got money in the bank and a good job that you need to napalm your veggie patch? It just defies logic!

[xelasnave]

I must have been dreaming but I thought recently there was a cry from a polly??? asking how we can get more of our young folk to be interested in science (such that they seek a science career path)... mmm why do we need to bring kids in???? to fire them also???

And yet we can fund a war of dubious merit for the aquirment of an undefined position of alignment to a nation alienating many of its friends world wide....to secure a diminishing resourse that we still get no price concession upon purchase.

I was staggered years ago to read China produces one million engineers a year... I wonder how many scientists ... still there is the answer why should we do anything research wise lets cut back and let someone else do it... bankers will tell you just buy it in.. and so forget supporting those who worked hard to support their nation...and if you becme a scientist is this not part of your approach..a determination to serve...

Mr Rudd and Mr Swan... we are not happy.. please fix the situation or we will simmer and make you wish you had been kinder...

I reckon it helps if you address them personally...and write to them personally

alex