Last night’s budget provides $1bn in 2020-21, “to safeguard Australia’s research sector against the impacts of the pandemic.”

The funding will fund research infrastructure, “secure research jobs” and “strengthen partnerships” with industry.

This is new money, an improvement on the $700m speculated last week.

There is also a $40m fund for universities to collaborate with surrounding communities on local problems.

But the 12 000 additional UG places Mr Tehan  announced last week are to be allocated to “national priority areas,” including education, nursing, science and computing.

Among the surprises there was one that wasn’t exactly gasp-making; $5.8m for scoping a University Research Commercialisation Scheme, “to better translate and commercialise university research outputs” and one that is a new idea; $24.8 million “to create pathways to STEM careers for up to 500 women through industry-sponsored advanced apprenticeship-style courses.”