b'Canberra observed Canberra observed$163 million over four years (doublingFuture challengesoperational funding and ongoing funding thereafter) to the AustralianThe main challenge for the future is to Institute of Marine Science. raise enough money to pay for increased $2 billion for a Hydrogen Headstartdefence and health spending and reduce programme to accelerate thethe inequality throughout our society.development of hydrogen cleanVarious commentators are urging the energy technologies. government to consider:$1.3 billion for a Powering the Regions programme for emissions reductionStage 3 tax cuts, which apply to high and clean energy development. income earners, worth $254 billion Establishment of the Nationalover ten years and start on 1 July 2024Reconstruction Fund CorporationFossil fuel subsidies, with the fuel with ongoing funding of $64 milliontax credit increasing to $9.4 billion in David Denham AMa year. 2023-24Associate Editor for Government 4000 new university places forThe Resource Rent Tax; at present the denham1@iinet.net.au students studying degrees to advancetobacco excise ($13.4 billion), visa Australias nuclear-powered submarineapplication fees ($3.3 billion) and the capabilities under AUKUS. beer excise ($2.8 billion) will raise more Budget 2023-24 good for sciencerevenue than the PRRT ($2.7 billion) in Details of how the main scienti\x1dc2023-24and delivers a surplus agencies fared are shown in Table1.Defence spending, which is already Whats good now This was compiled from Budget($70.9 billion/year) or about 3 percent paper No 4, an easy-to-use documentof GDP.Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, deliveredlisting the funding for all the agenciesJobSeeker, when a $3 a day increase is a good budget for science andfunded by the Australian Government.well short of the $25 a day needed to technology as well as a small surplusThe table shows how they fared.lift those on Jobseeker out of poverty.of $4.2 billion. However, unless theThe numbers speak for themselvesMigration targets, to stabilise the Stage 3 tax cuts are re-considered,but notice that CSIRO now has anpopulation. The housing crisis is very and additional revenue generated,allocation of $1 billion and ANSTOdependent on population. Neither the the budget will be in de\x1dcit for thehas a 37 percent increase in its annualGreens, the ALP nor the Coalition have foreseeable future. allocation. tackled this issue.Lets have look at some of the good stu\x1e for science (from the Science & TechnologyTable 1.Funding for Australian Government agencies 2018/192023/24Australia website).$392 million for the Industry GrowthAgency Government appropriation in $m and average sta\x1e numbers, where available in brackets*programme over four years (then $65 million a year ongoing) includingFinancial year 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24funding for Industry Growth Centres. AIMS 47 44 45 46 63 100$101 million to grow critical253 (300) (272)technologies such as quantumANSTO 214 235 220 280 233 319andAI.(1275) (1356) (1333) (1364) (1421)$60 million over four years for ARC 793 818 833 804 867 935Questacon to enable building and(133) (136) (127) (140) (140)technology upgrades and fund its national touring and schools outreachBureau of Meteorology 296 315 294 358 408 443(1599P) (1627) (1754)programmes.$9 million to secure funding over theAntarctic Division 188 185 225 270 270 269(384) (392)next four years for the Prime Ministers Prizes for Science, Science MeetsGeoscience Australia 238 232 226 265 340 329Parliament and the Prime Ministers(592) (603) (627)National Science & TechnologyCSIRO 834 839 834 949 991 1009Council. (5001) (5449) (5764)$50 million for the NationalNHMRC 946 926 943 927 939 971Measurement Institute to upgrade(183) (195) (195)facilities and create new measurementABS 401 413 187 592 362 425tools for an array of new frontier(3364) (2865) (2843)technologies. Renewable Energy Agency 313 319Undisclosed funding for ANSTO to(2) (2)upgrade Australias nuclear medicine*AIMS (Australian Institute of Marine Science), ANSTO (Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation), ARC facilities. (Australian Research Council), NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council), ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics).JUNE 2023 PREVIEW 22'