This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

A government backbencher has suggested the Coalition lacks a basic understanding of science and has criticised cuts in the budget to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).



Western Australian MP Dr Dennis Jensen also repeated his criticisms of the $12.4bn purchase of 58 US F-35 Joint Strike Fighter planes and the prime minister’s decision not to appoint a science minister, in a speech to the House of Representatives while it debated the budget appropriation bills on Tuesday evening.

Jensen has a PhD in materials science and physics from Monash University and has worked as a research scientist for both the CSIRO and the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) before entering parliament.



He questioned the logic of setting up a “huge” medical research fund in the budget while making cuts to the CSIRO, DSTO, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (Ansto), the Australian Research Council and the Australian Institute of Marine Science.

“This is, instead, about our national interest, and how to maximise economic and other benefits to our nation. There appears to be a lack of understanding of how science works,” he said.

“Many advances, including in the medical field, are not the result of directed research, but as a matter of more fundamental research that was not directed.”

Jensen said the detail about the medical fund was lacking, including what diseases would be targeted, if any.

“How are we going to source those researchers? They don’t grow on trees, and the training required is long and arduous, and very long lead times are required,” he said.

“What is this saying to those who might want to become mathematicians, physicists or chemists, hard sciences that are already in crisis?”

Jensen said he did not object to the CSIRO and Ansto being subject to review and restructure.

“However, it is foolish to have such a policy disincentive, while at the same time massively incentivising medical research,” he said.

Jensen suggested senior officers in the defence force who provided advice on purchasing decisions costing billions should have a register of pecuniary interests as politicians do.

He said he did not support the government raising taxes, but was a supporter of the $7 GP co-payment. He acknowledged it was a “tough” budget but said the former Labor government’s spending habits had forced the current government’s hand.