[LINK] public funding - public profits?

[Danny Yee]

> The ICT Trade Update 2001, released this week by the Australian Computer
> Society (ACS), has revealed that Australia’s ICT trade deficit reached
> almost $16 billion in 2000-01, 

I wonder what fraction of that is software licensing costs...  

> Significantly increased funding for public sector research, especially
> in collaboration with industry;
> Skills, especially in the key areas of research and higher education;
> Personal incentives to attract and retain the best people in our
> industry;
> Improved financial incentives for private sector research and
> development; and

I think it's obvious that any software development the government
funds should be free software/open source: if it's funded by the
public, the output should be public.  Are there any real arguments
against this?  (Of course most biotech research, even when funded
through universities, seems to end up belonging to corporations rather
than the public.)

Danny.
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