Science and Technology Australia asked the major parties what they will do for the sector

The conservatives responded the Morrison Government has spent $93bn on “science, research and innovation”  and emphasised the research commercialisation plan (think trailblazer funding already announced).

Labor’s response was admirably creative in the range of policies it relates to science and tech and promised to boost research and development “getting it closer to 3 per cent of GDP achieved in other countries.” But it did reiterate an important specific, “our support for legislation to establish the Australian Economic Accelerator, which is core to the government’s commercialisation plan.

Which is all good news for applied research, whoever is PM next week.

But there is thing that Labor would do differently, “ establish an Australian Universities Accord to drive lasting reform at our universities.”

Apparently, the Accord, “will help deliver accessibility, affordability, quality, certainty, sustainability and prosperity to the higher education sector and the country.”

Good o – but who, a learned reader remarks, will do the driving.