Science back on PM’s (different) agenda

Scott Morrison moves to neutralise it as an election issue

On Wednesday, the prime minister announced the government’s tech priorities, with a list focused on applied research that can be quoted in an election campaign.

Some of the tech is super sciencey, notably quantum computing but most of it will make for good campaign talking points – vaccines, biofuels and “critical minerals,” for example, (CMM yesterday).

It’s a solid way to establish the coalition’s science credentials and deprive the Opposition of the electoral oxygen which could come if ministers had no subject-changer when journalists ask about backbench criticism of university research.

But Mr Morrison’s sell is as traditional as it is political, “The simple fact is that nations at the leading edge of technology have greater economic, political and military power,” he said.

It’s a ways from his predecessor’s enthusiasm for innovation. As prime minister Malcolm Turnbull evangelised the economy-growing, lives-improving capacities for tech innovation. But this did not go down well with voters who thought all the new fangledry would cost jobs. And so, Mr Turnbull’s “innovation nation” agenda went, with most of the coalition majority in the 2016 election (CMM July 6 2016). It’s not coming back now.

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