Government spending on research has dropped to its lowest on record, triggering a warning from universities.
New forecasts show spending is on track to be 0.49 percent of GDP in 2022/23, having never dropped below 0.5 percent since records began in 1978.
Universities Australia chief Catriona Jackson told the Australian Higher Education Industrial Association’s annual conference in Hobart on May 5 the federal budget is an opportunity fix the nation’s research problem.
“In tough fiscal circumstances, we recognise government can’t fund everything,” Jackson said.
“Tough decisions must be made at a time that calls for less public spending.
“But we know that research makes the nation stronger and wealthier.”…