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The Forum > Article Comments > Knowledge deficit looming > Comments

Knowledge deficit looming : Comments

By Julian Cribb, published 5/7/2007

Science should drive the political agenda, not the other way around.

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I've always stuck with the scientist's party line with this topic and thought "shock and horror, Australia is producing fewer scientists". Incidentally at an ABC Science Week forum last year part of the reason for this 'problem' was that older scientists (at the university level) were making it more difficult for the younguns to move up through the ranks.

Today I'll play the Devil's Advocate and ask, if Australia is producing fewer scientists: so what? Is the state of our nation in peril? Is this a national disaster or simply a jingoistic response that 'we' 'have' to be doing this type of work. Is this just a notion of science within borders and if so if WA is producing less scientists than Tasmania is the state of WA in peril?

Science by it's nature of peer review and collaboration is international and maybe less science in a particular area might (just might) mean less revenue going to that area, but that assumes that the area producing the science will actually have the capital, infrastructure, market demand, political nouse and get up and go to 'do something' with it. Witness the solar break throughs made at The University of New South Wales, but now being commercialised in China. The problem was not with the science but with the follow up. In the end though we'll get to use the cheaper manufactured results of the work as we import them.

There is an almost religious ferment to this topic but, as an economist, I'd ask is Australia currently better off doing 'other' things with it national financial capital?

Despite the above I'm not a luddite, I know that more scientists means more science and breakthroughs but hey, it's in the nature of science to pose challenging questions. Isn't it?
Posted by PeterJH, Thursday, 5 July 2007 9:53:21 AM
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i think the answer is blinding evident: do we want to earn a living at a desk, or at the front end of a rickshaw.

encouraging science is just one reflection of encouraging every ozzie to be as smart, educated, and well-trained as possible.
Posted by DEMOS, Thursday, 5 July 2007 11:15:27 AM
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JH, I think the salient point is that without a strong science base in Australia, we will lack the in-house capacity to advise and guide our society through what will doubtless be challenging times. In the absence of sound, scientifically credible independent advice, public debates on economic, social and environmental issues will all too easily be sidelined by parties with vested interests in particular outcomes that may not be in the public interest.

Climate change is also an example of an issue that poses both challenges and opportunities, other examples might include biotechnology (including stem cell research) and renewable energy. Without a strong scientific base, we are limited in our capacity to capitalise on emerging opportunities. We leave our economy exposed and increasingly difficult to transform and lock ourselves in as technology takers rather than developers of new industries.
Posted by Kveldulv, Thursday, 5 July 2007 11:16:17 AM
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I think one of the great problems here is “economic rationalism” or “neo-liberalism”. If we are to have a knowledge economy that increasingly embraces areas of emerging technologies based on new science such as nano and bio tech then it follows that this won’t come from the “market” yet we are always told that markets "know" best. High technology industry comes from government investment not the mythical operation of market forces. This of course flatly contradicts the key tenets of economic theory but it is indeed ironic that in Australia science is suffering because of the sway of the “scientific credentials” of a body of theory that so flatly contradicts empirical reality.
Posted by Markob, Thursday, 5 July 2007 11:28:42 AM
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Well said Kveldulv.

"Our national progress will be limited to the speed at which old politicians can absorb new scientific concepts. Frightening thought.

In the 21st century, science needs to drive the political agenda, not vice versa."

Now THAT'S a frightening thought ... particularly given the predominance of foreign corporations and finance capital with our 'Economy' and the narrow, specialist 'education' given to Australian science graduates!

Knowledge deficit looming? ... its already upon us, has been so for decades and the majority of us will continue to pay the increasingly high price of ignorance of the political-economy under which we are forced to labour - Kaputalism!
Posted by Sowat, Thursday, 5 July 2007 11:38:42 AM
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It's a great idea to establish an independent National Science Council. Let's hope this kite will soar high enough to get noticed and attract the support it deserves from candidates and parties in their forthcoming federal election campaigns.

The combined views of the scientific sector do need to be presented openly, fairly, ethically, objectively and without fear. The coherant policy views from such a scientific forum should, like Treasury, inform all government decision making.

A good starting point for science policy would be to consider providing Australian science students with free tertiary science courses with guranteed employment opportunities at well funded Australian research institutes.

Improving our disappointing scientific knowledge deficit must be a high priority for the next government. To do so, opens the way for scientific breakthroughs and solid foundation research for future venture capital, and Future Fund support, in taking up innovation and new knowledge that has a real wow factor.

These kind of aspirations may seem delusional in the current political climate, where fear and greed seem to be the same tired prime motivators again on offer to voters. Are we that shallow and easily bribed? Surely there are some visionary leaders in the house who could share the dream of our country becoming a world leader in intellectual property and take us towards the UN's millenium goals?

Change can only happen when politicians wake up to the fact that Australia can't rely on mineral exports forever. A diversified trade portfolio needs scientific input across all sectors. A National Science Council can map out the course ahead - if it has real independance, quarrantined from the contaminants of political favouritsm and interferance.
Posted by Quick response, Thursday, 5 July 2007 2:37:26 PM
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