Brian Schmidt writes in the ABC’s ThE Drum (21.3.15):
‘Funding uncertainty makes it much harder for Australia to attract and retain research talent. One story about a disappearing job very nearly put me off ever coming to this beautiful country, writes Nobel laureate Brian Schmidt.
‘The potential carnage of turning off Australia’s science research infrastructure has been postponed for at least another year.
‘Amid a great clamour from the research and business communities, Education Minister Christopher Pyne agreed to not make funding for the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) program contingent on savings from his proposed higher education reforms.
‘It’s a win, but it’s not the first time we’ve had to fight to continue advancing knowledge, and it almost certainly won’t be the last. Do we really want the nation’s brightest scientists wasting their time and energy on repeatedly convincing governments it’s worthwhile to continue to invest in projects and work that’s reaped significant economic rewards for Australia and made huge improvements to the lives and lifestyles of people the world over?
‘There is a better way.’
Read on …