Scientists travel to Antarctica to track ocean temperatures
The team embarked on the RSV Nuyina for two months, travelling down to Denham Glacier earlier this year, located just south of Perth.
Over the past few decades, the area where the glacier meets the water has retreated significantly, and this rapid melting can potentially cause global sea levels to rise by 1.5 meters.
The team of scientists went down to understand what is causing the transportation of warm water from the deep Southern Ocean to the base of the ice shelves.
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The Advertiser
5 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Plan to boost gender equity among engineering academics
Female academics are being encouraged into engineering roles as part of a bid to boost gender equity and representation in the sector. The University of Sydney is running a campaign open to international and Australian candidates offering academic roles reserved for women in engineering. The roles are in the schools of aerospace, mechanical and mechatronic engineering, civil engineering, computer science, and electrical and computer engineering. About 12 to 17 per cent of continuing academic staff within these schools are women. But a 2024 Diversity Council Australia report found just 11 per cent of female engineering students qualified and went on to work in an engineering role, while the percentage of those in senior roles was even lower. Shuying Wu, a senior lecturer in aerospace, mechanical and mechatronic engineering at the University of Sydney, said she had been the only women in the room for many parts of her career. "There is a lack of female mentors so there can be limited guidance and inspiration," Dr Wu told AAP. "But when we design engineering projects, if we have more diversity we can solve problems from different angles as diverse teams create more solutions and think about things from different perspectives." Women had historically been under-represented in Australia's engineering sector, something culture and community associate dean Renae Ryan wants to change at the University of Sydney. Other universities had run similar campaigns which had successfully improved diversity among academics, she said. "Increasing diversity is not just about representation, it is also about institutions actively creating opportunities for talent to flourish, develop and grow," Professor Ryan said. "Having these kinds of identified rounds sends a strong signal that we are really serious about attracting talented women into our faculty and it also increases student interest because it highlights the pipeline for women engineers." As diversity, equity and inclusion programs are wound back in the United States, Prof Ryan expected American researchers and academics to be attracted to the roles. "There's a lot going on in research and funding in general in the US and there have been significant changes and a lot of people in the higher education sector are under pressure," she said. "It's something we are conscious of and we would always reach out to the US anyway, but there may be people looking for a change in Australia." Female academics are being encouraged into engineering roles as part of a bid to boost gender equity and representation in the sector. The University of Sydney is running a campaign open to international and Australian candidates offering academic roles reserved for women in engineering. The roles are in the schools of aerospace, mechanical and mechatronic engineering, civil engineering, computer science, and electrical and computer engineering. About 12 to 17 per cent of continuing academic staff within these schools are women. But a 2024 Diversity Council Australia report found just 11 per cent of female engineering students qualified and went on to work in an engineering role, while the percentage of those in senior roles was even lower. Shuying Wu, a senior lecturer in aerospace, mechanical and mechatronic engineering at the University of Sydney, said she had been the only women in the room for many parts of her career. "There is a lack of female mentors so there can be limited guidance and inspiration," Dr Wu told AAP. "But when we design engineering projects, if we have more diversity we can solve problems from different angles as diverse teams create more solutions and think about things from different perspectives." Women had historically been under-represented in Australia's engineering sector, something culture and community associate dean Renae Ryan wants to change at the University of Sydney. Other universities had run similar campaigns which had successfully improved diversity among academics, she said. "Increasing diversity is not just about representation, it is also about institutions actively creating opportunities for talent to flourish, develop and grow," Professor Ryan said. "Having these kinds of identified rounds sends a strong signal that we are really serious about attracting talented women into our faculty and it also increases student interest because it highlights the pipeline for women engineers." As diversity, equity and inclusion programs are wound back in the United States, Prof Ryan expected American researchers and academics to be attracted to the roles. "There's a lot going on in research and funding in general in the US and there have been significant changes and a lot of people in the higher education sector are under pressure," she said. "It's something we are conscious of and we would always reach out to the US anyway, but there may be people looking for a change in Australia." Female academics are being encouraged into engineering roles as part of a bid to boost gender equity and representation in the sector. The University of Sydney is running a campaign open to international and Australian candidates offering academic roles reserved for women in engineering. The roles are in the schools of aerospace, mechanical and mechatronic engineering, civil engineering, computer science, and electrical and computer engineering. About 12 to 17 per cent of continuing academic staff within these schools are women. But a 2024 Diversity Council Australia report found just 11 per cent of female engineering students qualified and went on to work in an engineering role, while the percentage of those in senior roles was even lower. Shuying Wu, a senior lecturer in aerospace, mechanical and mechatronic engineering at the University of Sydney, said she had been the only women in the room for many parts of her career. "There is a lack of female mentors so there can be limited guidance and inspiration," Dr Wu told AAP. "But when we design engineering projects, if we have more diversity we can solve problems from different angles as diverse teams create more solutions and think about things from different perspectives." Women had historically been under-represented in Australia's engineering sector, something culture and community associate dean Renae Ryan wants to change at the University of Sydney. Other universities had run similar campaigns which had successfully improved diversity among academics, she said. "Increasing diversity is not just about representation, it is also about institutions actively creating opportunities for talent to flourish, develop and grow," Professor Ryan said. "Having these kinds of identified rounds sends a strong signal that we are really serious about attracting talented women into our faculty and it also increases student interest because it highlights the pipeline for women engineers." As diversity, equity and inclusion programs are wound back in the United States, Prof Ryan expected American researchers and academics to be attracted to the roles. "There's a lot going on in research and funding in general in the US and there have been significant changes and a lot of people in the higher education sector are under pressure," she said. "It's something we are conscious of and we would always reach out to the US anyway, but there may be people looking for a change in Australia." Female academics are being encouraged into engineering roles as part of a bid to boost gender equity and representation in the sector. The University of Sydney is running a campaign open to international and Australian candidates offering academic roles reserved for women in engineering. The roles are in the schools of aerospace, mechanical and mechatronic engineering, civil engineering, computer science, and electrical and computer engineering. About 12 to 17 per cent of continuing academic staff within these schools are women. But a 2024 Diversity Council Australia report found just 11 per cent of female engineering students qualified and went on to work in an engineering role, while the percentage of those in senior roles was even lower. Shuying Wu, a senior lecturer in aerospace, mechanical and mechatronic engineering at the University of Sydney, said she had been the only women in the room for many parts of her career. "There is a lack of female mentors so there can be limited guidance and inspiration," Dr Wu told AAP. "But when we design engineering projects, if we have more diversity we can solve problems from different angles as diverse teams create more solutions and think about things from different perspectives." Women had historically been under-represented in Australia's engineering sector, something culture and community associate dean Renae Ryan wants to change at the University of Sydney. Other universities had run similar campaigns which had successfully improved diversity among academics, she said. "Increasing diversity is not just about representation, it is also about institutions actively creating opportunities for talent to flourish, develop and grow," Professor Ryan said. "Having these kinds of identified rounds sends a strong signal that we are really serious about attracting talented women into our faculty and it also increases student interest because it highlights the pipeline for women engineers." As diversity, equity and inclusion programs are wound back in the United States, Prof Ryan expected American researchers and academics to be attracted to the roles. "There's a lot going on in research and funding in general in the US and there have been significant changes and a lot of people in the higher education sector are under pressure," she said. "It's something we are conscious of and we would always reach out to the US anyway, but there may be people looking for a change in Australia."
The Advertiser
5 hours ago
- The Advertiser
School kids inspired by space salad mission to the moon
Growing cucumbers on the moon might sound like science fiction but for thousands of Australian students, it's a hands-on reality. Pupils from years seven to 10 across the country are taking part in the ALEPH Project, a world-first mission aiming to establish a lunar garden by 2026. Far from passive textbook learners, these young scientists are conducting experiments, engineering seed delivery systems and uploading their findings to a national database that will directly help scientists decide which seeds are best suited for space. Research group Lunaria One Director Lauren Fell explains that the idea actually came from kids themselves. "We had an opportunity to suggest a scientific payload to go to the moon and we thought we could probably come up with something ... but we might as well see what the next generation want to see on the moon," Ms Fell tells AAP. "They said, we want to see something grow and it kind of really resonated. It's a very barren sort of place. "They're going to be the ones engineering the full versions of these in the future and really feeding astronauts on the moon and Mars, and this is happening in Australia so it's quite exciting." This is more than a school science unit. It's a citizen science initiative, with students directly contributing to solving a major challenge: how to grow food sustainably off-Earth. The Plants - Lunar Edition unit, developed by Aussie edtech company Stile Education in partnership with Lunaria One, allows students to experiment with seeds under simulated lunar conditions. Clare Feeney, head of education at Stile, says, "It's fantastic ... we were able to get students involved at such a young age actually contributing to the mission." "In the first lesson, students map the mission to the moon and look at the conditions the seeds will face. From that, they find a way to put them under similar conditions." Extreme heat is simulated by putting the seeds in the oven, the G-Force of launch is simulated by shaking them, she says. Then they track how well the seeds germinate and grow, sharing their conclusions with Lunaria One to contribute to their research. Since its trial earlier this year, the program has seen more than 440 student experiments uploaded, with over 200 student teams providing usable data. One group managed to grow a 20cm cucumber under simulated lunar conditions, a first for the student-led experiments. Thirteen-year-old India Huefner from Adelaide's Concordia College took part in the program. "Though science hasn't been my favourite, I have always been fascinated by space and the Lunaria One mission opens a whole new world of opportunities to learn about it and actively take part," she tells AAP. Ms Huefner's flight-simulated tomato seeds - exposed to high heat and then freezing temperatures to simulate what happens on take-off - grew taller after 14 days when compared to the control group but the same number germinated in both. The project vividly brings science to life for students like India. "I found it amazing that we're even trying to put plants on the moon when it was only 50 years ago we first landed there and now this project is exploring how we might feed an off-world colony," she says. "Having the chance to speak to Lauren Fell really showed how this is relevant in the real world," she says. Ms Fell explains that her own experience as a researcher during a simulated space mission on Earth highlighted the importance of fresh food for astronauts. "I just wanted a salad so much. A lot of the food that you take up there, it's dehydrated, it's powdered and you just want something fresh and crisp and something that's just been grown," she says. "That really hit home how important missions like this are because it's the early steps towards growing food in space." Growing plants in space isn't new - the International Space Station has long hosted experiments - but it presents unique challenges. The moon rotates differently, with 14 Earth days of sunlight followed by 14 days of darkness. "As soon as you're in shade, it can plummet to less than minus 100 degrees," Ms Fell says. "It's a very difficult thing to get something to survive that night time period ... so our mission is focused on the daytime when you've got power because of the solar energy." Ms Feeney explains that students enter data into a specially built widget as they grow their seeds, producing real-time information. "There's a whole citizen science component," she says. "The data is being pulled together for the Lunaria One team and they're actually using this to inform what they're doing." Beyond science, students are encouraged to think about humanity's responsibility in space, she adds. "A really cool part about the mission is that it's building that stewardship and students caring for the planet. "There's that implicit learning about why we might need to go to the moon and how we can be better citizens of Earth." The program also shifts students' perceptions of science and scientists. "You can see it in their faces," Ms Feeney says. "All of a sudden they see scientists are real people and think, 'maybe I could be a scientist because this is something I can see somebody like me doing'." Designed for ease of teaching, the unit fits neatly into existing curricula. "We've found lately there seems to be quite intuitively a lot of doom and gloom in science about climate change," Ms Feeney says. "This is a hopeful, joyful way to teach science. "We're explorers at the end of the day. Teaching science is all about building confidence and curiosity." For India, the project inspires career aspirations. "I really like the discovery element," she says. "I would love to work in the space industry when I am older, either as an astronaut or to be able to go to the International Space Station or become a leader like Lauren." Growing cucumbers on the moon might sound like science fiction but for thousands of Australian students, it's a hands-on reality. Pupils from years seven to 10 across the country are taking part in the ALEPH Project, a world-first mission aiming to establish a lunar garden by 2026. Far from passive textbook learners, these young scientists are conducting experiments, engineering seed delivery systems and uploading their findings to a national database that will directly help scientists decide which seeds are best suited for space. Research group Lunaria One Director Lauren Fell explains that the idea actually came from kids themselves. "We had an opportunity to suggest a scientific payload to go to the moon and we thought we could probably come up with something ... but we might as well see what the next generation want to see on the moon," Ms Fell tells AAP. "They said, we want to see something grow and it kind of really resonated. It's a very barren sort of place. "They're going to be the ones engineering the full versions of these in the future and really feeding astronauts on the moon and Mars, and this is happening in Australia so it's quite exciting." This is more than a school science unit. It's a citizen science initiative, with students directly contributing to solving a major challenge: how to grow food sustainably off-Earth. The Plants - Lunar Edition unit, developed by Aussie edtech company Stile Education in partnership with Lunaria One, allows students to experiment with seeds under simulated lunar conditions. Clare Feeney, head of education at Stile, says, "It's fantastic ... we were able to get students involved at such a young age actually contributing to the mission." "In the first lesson, students map the mission to the moon and look at the conditions the seeds will face. From that, they find a way to put them under similar conditions." Extreme heat is simulated by putting the seeds in the oven, the G-Force of launch is simulated by shaking them, she says. Then they track how well the seeds germinate and grow, sharing their conclusions with Lunaria One to contribute to their research. Since its trial earlier this year, the program has seen more than 440 student experiments uploaded, with over 200 student teams providing usable data. One group managed to grow a 20cm cucumber under simulated lunar conditions, a first for the student-led experiments. Thirteen-year-old India Huefner from Adelaide's Concordia College took part in the program. "Though science hasn't been my favourite, I have always been fascinated by space and the Lunaria One mission opens a whole new world of opportunities to learn about it and actively take part," she tells AAP. Ms Huefner's flight-simulated tomato seeds - exposed to high heat and then freezing temperatures to simulate what happens on take-off - grew taller after 14 days when compared to the control group but the same number germinated in both. The project vividly brings science to life for students like India. "I found it amazing that we're even trying to put plants on the moon when it was only 50 years ago we first landed there and now this project is exploring how we might feed an off-world colony," she says. "Having the chance to speak to Lauren Fell really showed how this is relevant in the real world," she says. Ms Fell explains that her own experience as a researcher during a simulated space mission on Earth highlighted the importance of fresh food for astronauts. "I just wanted a salad so much. A lot of the food that you take up there, it's dehydrated, it's powdered and you just want something fresh and crisp and something that's just been grown," she says. "That really hit home how important missions like this are because it's the early steps towards growing food in space." Growing plants in space isn't new - the International Space Station has long hosted experiments - but it presents unique challenges. The moon rotates differently, with 14 Earth days of sunlight followed by 14 days of darkness. "As soon as you're in shade, it can plummet to less than minus 100 degrees," Ms Fell says. "It's a very difficult thing to get something to survive that night time period ... so our mission is focused on the daytime when you've got power because of the solar energy." Ms Feeney explains that students enter data into a specially built widget as they grow their seeds, producing real-time information. "There's a whole citizen science component," she says. "The data is being pulled together for the Lunaria One team and they're actually using this to inform what they're doing." Beyond science, students are encouraged to think about humanity's responsibility in space, she adds. "A really cool part about the mission is that it's building that stewardship and students caring for the planet. "There's that implicit learning about why we might need to go to the moon and how we can be better citizens of Earth." The program also shifts students' perceptions of science and scientists. "You can see it in their faces," Ms Feeney says. "All of a sudden they see scientists are real people and think, 'maybe I could be a scientist because this is something I can see somebody like me doing'." Designed for ease of teaching, the unit fits neatly into existing curricula. "We've found lately there seems to be quite intuitively a lot of doom and gloom in science about climate change," Ms Feeney says. "This is a hopeful, joyful way to teach science. "We're explorers at the end of the day. Teaching science is all about building confidence and curiosity." For India, the project inspires career aspirations. "I really like the discovery element," she says. "I would love to work in the space industry when I am older, either as an astronaut or to be able to go to the International Space Station or become a leader like Lauren." Growing cucumbers on the moon might sound like science fiction but for thousands of Australian students, it's a hands-on reality. Pupils from years seven to 10 across the country are taking part in the ALEPH Project, a world-first mission aiming to establish a lunar garden by 2026. Far from passive textbook learners, these young scientists are conducting experiments, engineering seed delivery systems and uploading their findings to a national database that will directly help scientists decide which seeds are best suited for space. Research group Lunaria One Director Lauren Fell explains that the idea actually came from kids themselves. "We had an opportunity to suggest a scientific payload to go to the moon and we thought we could probably come up with something ... but we might as well see what the next generation want to see on the moon," Ms Fell tells AAP. "They said, we want to see something grow and it kind of really resonated. It's a very barren sort of place. "They're going to be the ones engineering the full versions of these in the future and really feeding astronauts on the moon and Mars, and this is happening in Australia so it's quite exciting." This is more than a school science unit. It's a citizen science initiative, with students directly contributing to solving a major challenge: how to grow food sustainably off-Earth. The Plants - Lunar Edition unit, developed by Aussie edtech company Stile Education in partnership with Lunaria One, allows students to experiment with seeds under simulated lunar conditions. Clare Feeney, head of education at Stile, says, "It's fantastic ... we were able to get students involved at such a young age actually contributing to the mission." "In the first lesson, students map the mission to the moon and look at the conditions the seeds will face. From that, they find a way to put them under similar conditions." Extreme heat is simulated by putting the seeds in the oven, the G-Force of launch is simulated by shaking them, she says. Then they track how well the seeds germinate and grow, sharing their conclusions with Lunaria One to contribute to their research. Since its trial earlier this year, the program has seen more than 440 student experiments uploaded, with over 200 student teams providing usable data. One group managed to grow a 20cm cucumber under simulated lunar conditions, a first for the student-led experiments. Thirteen-year-old India Huefner from Adelaide's Concordia College took part in the program. "Though science hasn't been my favourite, I have always been fascinated by space and the Lunaria One mission opens a whole new world of opportunities to learn about it and actively take part," she tells AAP. Ms Huefner's flight-simulated tomato seeds - exposed to high heat and then freezing temperatures to simulate what happens on take-off - grew taller after 14 days when compared to the control group but the same number germinated in both. The project vividly brings science to life for students like India. "I found it amazing that we're even trying to put plants on the moon when it was only 50 years ago we first landed there and now this project is exploring how we might feed an off-world colony," she says. "Having the chance to speak to Lauren Fell really showed how this is relevant in the real world," she says. Ms Fell explains that her own experience as a researcher during a simulated space mission on Earth highlighted the importance of fresh food for astronauts. "I just wanted a salad so much. A lot of the food that you take up there, it's dehydrated, it's powdered and you just want something fresh and crisp and something that's just been grown," she says. "That really hit home how important missions like this are because it's the early steps towards growing food in space." Growing plants in space isn't new - the International Space Station has long hosted experiments - but it presents unique challenges. The moon rotates differently, with 14 Earth days of sunlight followed by 14 days of darkness. "As soon as you're in shade, it can plummet to less than minus 100 degrees," Ms Fell says. "It's a very difficult thing to get something to survive that night time period ... so our mission is focused on the daytime when you've got power because of the solar energy." Ms Feeney explains that students enter data into a specially built widget as they grow their seeds, producing real-time information. "There's a whole citizen science component," she says. "The data is being pulled together for the Lunaria One team and they're actually using this to inform what they're doing." Beyond science, students are encouraged to think about humanity's responsibility in space, she adds. "A really cool part about the mission is that it's building that stewardship and students caring for the planet. "There's that implicit learning about why we might need to go to the moon and how we can be better citizens of Earth." The program also shifts students' perceptions of science and scientists. "You can see it in their faces," Ms Feeney says. "All of a sudden they see scientists are real people and think, 'maybe I could be a scientist because this is something I can see somebody like me doing'." Designed for ease of teaching, the unit fits neatly into existing curricula. "We've found lately there seems to be quite intuitively a lot of doom and gloom in science about climate change," Ms Feeney says. "This is a hopeful, joyful way to teach science. "We're explorers at the end of the day. Teaching science is all about building confidence and curiosity." For India, the project inspires career aspirations. "I really like the discovery element," she says. "I would love to work in the space industry when I am older, either as an astronaut or to be able to go to the International Space Station or become a leader like Lauren." Growing cucumbers on the moon might sound like science fiction but for thousands of Australian students, it's a hands-on reality. Pupils from years seven to 10 across the country are taking part in the ALEPH Project, a world-first mission aiming to establish a lunar garden by 2026. Far from passive textbook learners, these young scientists are conducting experiments, engineering seed delivery systems and uploading their findings to a national database that will directly help scientists decide which seeds are best suited for space. Research group Lunaria One Director Lauren Fell explains that the idea actually came from kids themselves. "We had an opportunity to suggest a scientific payload to go to the moon and we thought we could probably come up with something ... but we might as well see what the next generation want to see on the moon," Ms Fell tells AAP. "They said, we want to see something grow and it kind of really resonated. It's a very barren sort of place. "They're going to be the ones engineering the full versions of these in the future and really feeding astronauts on the moon and Mars, and this is happening in Australia so it's quite exciting." This is more than a school science unit. It's a citizen science initiative, with students directly contributing to solving a major challenge: how to grow food sustainably off-Earth. The Plants - Lunar Edition unit, developed by Aussie edtech company Stile Education in partnership with Lunaria One, allows students to experiment with seeds under simulated lunar conditions. Clare Feeney, head of education at Stile, says, "It's fantastic ... we were able to get students involved at such a young age actually contributing to the mission." "In the first lesson, students map the mission to the moon and look at the conditions the seeds will face. From that, they find a way to put them under similar conditions." Extreme heat is simulated by putting the seeds in the oven, the G-Force of launch is simulated by shaking them, she says. Then they track how well the seeds germinate and grow, sharing their conclusions with Lunaria One to contribute to their research. Since its trial earlier this year, the program has seen more than 440 student experiments uploaded, with over 200 student teams providing usable data. One group managed to grow a 20cm cucumber under simulated lunar conditions, a first for the student-led experiments. Thirteen-year-old India Huefner from Adelaide's Concordia College took part in the program. "Though science hasn't been my favourite, I have always been fascinated by space and the Lunaria One mission opens a whole new world of opportunities to learn about it and actively take part," she tells AAP. Ms Huefner's flight-simulated tomato seeds - exposed to high heat and then freezing temperatures to simulate what happens on take-off - grew taller after 14 days when compared to the control group but the same number germinated in both. The project vividly brings science to life for students like India. "I found it amazing that we're even trying to put plants on the moon when it was only 50 years ago we first landed there and now this project is exploring how we might feed an off-world colony," she says. "Having the chance to speak to Lauren Fell really showed how this is relevant in the real world," she says. Ms Fell explains that her own experience as a researcher during a simulated space mission on Earth highlighted the importance of fresh food for astronauts. "I just wanted a salad so much. A lot of the food that you take up there, it's dehydrated, it's powdered and you just want something fresh and crisp and something that's just been grown," she says. "That really hit home how important missions like this are because it's the early steps towards growing food in space." Growing plants in space isn't new - the International Space Station has long hosted experiments - but it presents unique challenges. The moon rotates differently, with 14 Earth days of sunlight followed by 14 days of darkness. "As soon as you're in shade, it can plummet to less than minus 100 degrees," Ms Fell says. "It's a very difficult thing to get something to survive that night time period ... so our mission is focused on the daytime when you've got power because of the solar energy." Ms Feeney explains that students enter data into a specially built widget as they grow their seeds, producing real-time information. "There's a whole citizen science component," she says. "The data is being pulled together for the Lunaria One team and they're actually using this to inform what they're doing." Beyond science, students are encouraged to think about humanity's responsibility in space, she adds. "A really cool part about the mission is that it's building that stewardship and students caring for the planet. "There's that implicit learning about why we might need to go to the moon and how we can be better citizens of Earth." The program also shifts students' perceptions of science and scientists. "You can see it in their faces," Ms Feeney says. "All of a sudden they see scientists are real people and think, 'maybe I could be a scientist because this is something I can see somebody like me doing'." Designed for ease of teaching, the unit fits neatly into existing curricula. "We've found lately there seems to be quite intuitively a lot of doom and gloom in science about climate change," Ms Feeney says. "This is a hopeful, joyful way to teach science. "We're explorers at the end of the day. Teaching science is all about building confidence and curiosity." For India, the project inspires career aspirations. "I really like the discovery element," she says. "I would love to work in the space industry when I am older, either as an astronaut or to be able to go to the International Space Station or become a leader like Lauren."
The Advertiser
9 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Aussies missing out on payoff from research investment
Australia is missing out on a $7 billion per year economic boon because it has failed to keep pace in the international research and development stakes, according to a new report. Tax cuts and red tape have dominated discussions ahead of Treasurer Jim Chalmers's economic roundtable. But getting investment flowing back into technological innovation is critical to fixing productivity growth, said the Business Council of Australia, along with home-grown tech companies Cochlear and Atlassian, as they released a report by consulting firm Mandala on Monday. Just by fixing research and development (R&D) policies and without increasing the burden on the budget, an extra 0.1 per cent could be added to productivity growth each year, they claimed. "Empowering businesses to make R&D investments is critical to making our economy more productive and innovative, and for delivering greater prosperity for all Australians," said the organisation's chief executive Bran Black. But Australia has slid down the international rankings in the past decade, with large businesses' R&D investment falling 24 per cent in that time. The nation's total R&D expenditure has fallen to 1.7 per cent of GDP, compared to the average of 2.6 per cent across peer economies. The report highlights six tweaks that could once again make Australia a world leader in innovation and deliver $5 of value for every $1 spent by the government. They include simplifying the tax incentive premium for R&D to a flat rate of 18.5 per cent, removing the existing tax incentive cap of $150 million, taxing profits from Australian innovations at a concessional 10 per cent rate, and incentivising collaboration between industry and research institutions. The report also called for streamlined reporting and compliance requirements to access the R&D tax incentive, and simplifying R&D grants for businesses by consolidating the various existing grants into fewer nationally significant programs. Cochlear chief executive Dig Howitt said clear, well-funded strategies would capture the full value of local innovation and attract high-value global companies. "Given that R&D and intellectual property are mobile, there are constant efforts by other nations to attract elements of Australian business's value chain - particularly our innovation, IP development and manufacturing - offshore," he said. Atlassian chief of staff Amy Glancey said Australia has always been ideas rich but has fallen short in commercialising innovations and selling them to the world. Australia is missing out on a $7 billion per year economic boon because it has failed to keep pace in the international research and development stakes, according to a new report. Tax cuts and red tape have dominated discussions ahead of Treasurer Jim Chalmers's economic roundtable. But getting investment flowing back into technological innovation is critical to fixing productivity growth, said the Business Council of Australia, along with home-grown tech companies Cochlear and Atlassian, as they released a report by consulting firm Mandala on Monday. Just by fixing research and development (R&D) policies and without increasing the burden on the budget, an extra 0.1 per cent could be added to productivity growth each year, they claimed. "Empowering businesses to make R&D investments is critical to making our economy more productive and innovative, and for delivering greater prosperity for all Australians," said the organisation's chief executive Bran Black. But Australia has slid down the international rankings in the past decade, with large businesses' R&D investment falling 24 per cent in that time. The nation's total R&D expenditure has fallen to 1.7 per cent of GDP, compared to the average of 2.6 per cent across peer economies. The report highlights six tweaks that could once again make Australia a world leader in innovation and deliver $5 of value for every $1 spent by the government. They include simplifying the tax incentive premium for R&D to a flat rate of 18.5 per cent, removing the existing tax incentive cap of $150 million, taxing profits from Australian innovations at a concessional 10 per cent rate, and incentivising collaboration between industry and research institutions. The report also called for streamlined reporting and compliance requirements to access the R&D tax incentive, and simplifying R&D grants for businesses by consolidating the various existing grants into fewer nationally significant programs. Cochlear chief executive Dig Howitt said clear, well-funded strategies would capture the full value of local innovation and attract high-value global companies. "Given that R&D and intellectual property are mobile, there are constant efforts by other nations to attract elements of Australian business's value chain - particularly our innovation, IP development and manufacturing - offshore," he said. Atlassian chief of staff Amy Glancey said Australia has always been ideas rich but has fallen short in commercialising innovations and selling them to the world. Australia is missing out on a $7 billion per year economic boon because it has failed to keep pace in the international research and development stakes, according to a new report. Tax cuts and red tape have dominated discussions ahead of Treasurer Jim Chalmers's economic roundtable. But getting investment flowing back into technological innovation is critical to fixing productivity growth, said the Business Council of Australia, along with home-grown tech companies Cochlear and Atlassian, as they released a report by consulting firm Mandala on Monday. Just by fixing research and development (R&D) policies and without increasing the burden on the budget, an extra 0.1 per cent could be added to productivity growth each year, they claimed. "Empowering businesses to make R&D investments is critical to making our economy more productive and innovative, and for delivering greater prosperity for all Australians," said the organisation's chief executive Bran Black. But Australia has slid down the international rankings in the past decade, with large businesses' R&D investment falling 24 per cent in that time. The nation's total R&D expenditure has fallen to 1.7 per cent of GDP, compared to the average of 2.6 per cent across peer economies. The report highlights six tweaks that could once again make Australia a world leader in innovation and deliver $5 of value for every $1 spent by the government. They include simplifying the tax incentive premium for R&D to a flat rate of 18.5 per cent, removing the existing tax incentive cap of $150 million, taxing profits from Australian innovations at a concessional 10 per cent rate, and incentivising collaboration between industry and research institutions. The report also called for streamlined reporting and compliance requirements to access the R&D tax incentive, and simplifying R&D grants for businesses by consolidating the various existing grants into fewer nationally significant programs. Cochlear chief executive Dig Howitt said clear, well-funded strategies would capture the full value of local innovation and attract high-value global companies. "Given that R&D and intellectual property are mobile, there are constant efforts by other nations to attract elements of Australian business's value chain - particularly our innovation, IP development and manufacturing - offshore," he said. Atlassian chief of staff Amy Glancey said Australia has always been ideas rich but has fallen short in commercialising innovations and selling them to the world. Australia is missing out on a $7 billion per year economic boon because it has failed to keep pace in the international research and development stakes, according to a new report. Tax cuts and red tape have dominated discussions ahead of Treasurer Jim Chalmers's economic roundtable. But getting investment flowing back into technological innovation is critical to fixing productivity growth, said the Business Council of Australia, along with home-grown tech companies Cochlear and Atlassian, as they released a report by consulting firm Mandala on Monday. Just by fixing research and development (R&D) policies and without increasing the burden on the budget, an extra 0.1 per cent could be added to productivity growth each year, they claimed. "Empowering businesses to make R&D investments is critical to making our economy more productive and innovative, and for delivering greater prosperity for all Australians," said the organisation's chief executive Bran Black. But Australia has slid down the international rankings in the past decade, with large businesses' R&D investment falling 24 per cent in that time. The nation's total R&D expenditure has fallen to 1.7 per cent of GDP, compared to the average of 2.6 per cent across peer economies. The report highlights six tweaks that could once again make Australia a world leader in innovation and deliver $5 of value for every $1 spent by the government. They include simplifying the tax incentive premium for R&D to a flat rate of 18.5 per cent, removing the existing tax incentive cap of $150 million, taxing profits from Australian innovations at a concessional 10 per cent rate, and incentivising collaboration between industry and research institutions. The report also called for streamlined reporting and compliance requirements to access the R&D tax incentive, and simplifying R&D grants for businesses by consolidating the various existing grants into fewer nationally significant programs. Cochlear chief executive Dig Howitt said clear, well-funded strategies would capture the full value of local innovation and attract high-value global companies. "Given that R&D and intellectual property are mobile, there are constant efforts by other nations to attract elements of Australian business's value chain - particularly our innovation, IP development and manufacturing - offshore," he said. Atlassian chief of staff Amy Glancey said Australia has always been ideas rich but has fallen short in commercialising innovations and selling them to the world.
