The Opposition promises $100m for marine and reef science

 A Labor government will establish a new $35m Australian Research Council “special research initiative” as part of the package. The Townsville, Perth and Darwin based Australian Institute of Marine Science would also pick up $26m and the Townsville based Reef HQ “education and research facility” would receive $30m for refurbishment.  CMM understands this is all new money.

Kim Carr and Labor colleagues announced the funding yesterday, “to inspire the next generation.”  This is a big commitment to the research establishment, with Labor supporters happy to contrast it the coalition funding the private Great Barrier Reef Foundation. “Easy to miss among the election antics – a pretty big marine sciences announcement,” a close observer of research funding says.