[Aqualist] ACTION ON THREAT TO RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE

[Steven J Phipps]

Dear STA members and Friends,

As many of you are aware, a number of the public research facilities 
funded under the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy 
(NCRIS) are in dire straits, because of continued uncertainty over 
operational funding.

More than $2 billion of taxpayer money has been committed to NCRIS since 
it was established in 2004. Its 27 facilities employ 1,700 skilled 
scientists and support staff, and enable 35,000 scientists in 
universities, industry and research organisations to do the work 
underpinning many aspects of Australia’s scientific research, innovation 
and development.

Many of these facilities are preparing to shut down in the next two months 
if the situation does not change.

STA has been working on your behalf behind the scenes to try and have the 
Federal Government release the promised operation funds, as have others of 
the Research Alliance. To date we have not succeeded, and have thus joined 
with Australia’s 15 major research and science bodies to call on the Prime 
Minster to step in and avert the crisis.

On the STA website (link below) you will find a copy of the open letter to 
the Prime Minister. We will keep you up to date with the media stories 
over coming days via our website (www.sta.org.au) and urge you to keep 
abreast of developments via our page and to take part in the media and 
social media conversation on this critical issue.

Regards,

STA President Dr Ross Smith

STA CEO Catriona Jackson


Link to open letter:

http://scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Research-Alliance-4-Mar-15-open-letter-to-the-Prime-Minister-NCRIS-funding.pdf


You may be interested in some of the media coverage this morning:

   * Brian Scmidt: why funding science infrastructure is essential

https://theconversation.com/brian-schmidt-why-funding-science-infrastructure-is-essential-38303

   * Billion-dollar research facilities on verge of closure without 
promised funds

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/billiondollar-research-facilities-on-verge-of-closure-without-promised-funds-20150304-13ur2m.html

   * Australian science research facilities prepare for shutdown as 
government refuses to secure funding

http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/mar/04/research-facilities-prepare-shutdown-government-refuses-secure-funding