In September, Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic promised “a national conversation that will inform development of the revitalised priorities and science statement,” (CMM September 28 2022). Chief Scientist Cathy Foley is on to it

There’s a paper on process and participation to, “identify what are the biggest national challenges are and what are the opportunities that we could seize.”

The final statement is scheduled for September.

“The priorities and the accompanying statement will provide the vision and direction for science in Australia. They will align efforts and investments in science to deliver social, economic, and environmental benefits for all Australians,” the paper, released by Mr Husic’s department, states.

Not, it is careful to make clear, that the priorities will, “identify all science and research that should be undertaken in Australia nor preclude investment in other areas, particularly for basic or blue-sky research.”

And universities have “autonomy to invest outside the priorities” via the flexible funding of research block grants.  (There is no mention of the ARC or NHMRC).

The new priorities will replace the 2015 one, developed when Ian Macfarlane was coalition Industry and Science Minister. But yesterday’s discussion paper states that since then, “much has changed,”  nominating the pandemic “accelerating” climate change and  “emerging technologies.” Nor did they “acknowledge or recognise First Nations science and knowledge systems appropriately.”

Good-o, but Mr Macfarlane’s view still seem relevant to present thinking on science as a national resources.

“Science is at the heart of industry policy, and we are investing in science and industry infrastructure to ensure that science and research are driving growth in productivity and competitiveness,” he said at Monash U (CMM May 8 2015).