Australia should devote more of its gross domestic product to research, but only after its institutions can show they are extracting maximum value from their existing funding, according to the boss of the national science agency.
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (Csiro) chief executive Doug Hilton said it was unrealistic for the research sector to “just ask for more and more” from the government. “We have to…present a compelling case that we’re doing everything with the funding we already get to justify further funding,” he told the National Press Club.
“I just don’t think there’s any institution in Australia that can hand on heart say that it is doing [that]. Are we operating today in a manner that justifies greater support tomorrow? The answer, I think, is that we can do better with the resources already entrusted to us.
“We need institutions that are clearer about their strengths and willing to differentiate themselves [and] collaborate to solve the big national challenges,” he said. “In terms of accountability, we must go beyond reporting to government and funding agencies [and] build the trust of the communities we serve.
“Science has become increasingly self-referential and disconnected from parts of society. Treating sections of the community with disdain, because they either don’t understand or are distrustful of science, has predictable consequences.”
