Science in the 2015 Budget

The Australian Government's 2015 Budget in May brought relief from the deep cuts to science funding of the previous two budgets. Some areas received a funding boost while others experienced moderate cuts (cuts which will be delayed in most cases until 2016–17), with the result being what many viewed as a ‘status-quo’ outcome for science.

Read the Academy’s detailed summary and analysis of the 2015–16 federal budget

Significant announcements made during the budget include:

• two years continued funding for the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS)
• a further cut to support for university research block grants in the out-years (commencing in 2016–17)
• additional funding for the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO)
• a reduction in funding for the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) program
• continued development of the Medical Research Future Fund, with an expectation of significant funding for research over the next four years.

Following the budget, the Government also committed to a round of 50 Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellowships to be offered in July 2015, and full rounds of 100 Fellowships to follow conditional on passage of the higher education reforms.