Scientists call for urgent investment in science infrastructure and education

February 18, 2025

Australia’s leading scientists are calling on the Australian Government to urgently invest in the nation’s supercomputing capability and boost science and mathematics education as critical priorities of the 2025–26 Budget.

The Australian Academy of Science’s 2025–26 Pre-Budget Submission says Australia is

facing increasing challenges that demand strategic investment in science to secure supply chains, strengthen defence and cybersecurity, accelerate energy transition, adopt new technologies and support our health and wellbeing.

There are no plans to replace or update our two national supercomputers that cannot meet the growing demands of science, defence, industry and society. Australia urgently needs to invest $200 million a year over 10 years to bring Australia’s supercomputing up-to-date and keep it there.

Up-to-date high-performance computing and data matter because they provide climate intelligence that helps Australia prepare for and respond to natural disasters, farmers to boost their agricultural yields, defence to undertake military surveillance at our borders, and society to benefit from advances in drug discovery.

Meanwhile, science and maths skills are vital for navigating the 21st century. Participation in science and maths in school years requires teachers who can teach skilfully and with confidence.

‘Teaching Towards 2030’ is the Academy’s education plan that builds on a 30-year track record of delivering evidence-based professional learning to science and maths teachers from Foundation to Year 10. Academy education programs support teachers in their vital role of shaping future generations, giving them tools to manage the modern classroom and diverse student learning needs. Investment can be scaled starting at $13 million over four years.

The Australian Academy of Science 2025–26 Pre-Budget Submission calls for the government to:

• provide $200 million per year for 10-year investment in high-performance computing and data together with the development of a long-term strategy to meet our future needs, rather than taking a just-in-time funding approach to critical infrastructure
• support Teaching Towards 2030, the Academy’s plan to scale its proven education programs – Primary Connections, resolve Maths, and Science Connections – that invest in science and maths teacher capability and confidence
• establish an Australian Institute for Earth System Science to provide climate intelligence – observations, process-based understanding, and advances in predictive models – needed by government and industry to inform their decisions. This is estimated to cost $20 million annually
• sponsor Australia’s membership in the Belmont Forum and participation in the forum’s Ocean Collaborative Research Actions in 2025, to lead and shape global research efforts on challenges presented by climate and environmental change. A $2 million one-off investment is expected to generate $10 million in benefits for Australia.