The successful National Research Flagships program initiated by CSIRO will be expanded by $174 million over four years to increase the research effort in energy, climate and industry development.
The increased funding to the program will allow for more research work into clean transport fuels and the creation of three new Flagships covering climate adaptation, niche manufacturing and minerals exploration.
Under the expanded program $A59.6m will be provided for the Energy Transformed National Research Flagship to expand research into alternative transport fuels such as converting coal to liquids, gas to liquids, solar gas to liquids, creating bio-fuels and generating high-density natural gas for storage.
A new Climate Adaptation National Research Flagship will be formed in collaboration with partners such as the Bureau of Meteorology and the Australian Greenhouse Office and will receive $43.6 over the next four years.
New Niche Manufacturing and Minerals Down Under National Research Flagships will also be established with a combined funding of $A70.8 million over four years.
“CSIRO is looking ahead and creating options for our future to achieve sustainability and respond to change by developing talent, technology and innovation,” CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Geoff Garrett said.
“The reviews carried out before the Budget on the work CSIRO conducts show that it has been appropriate, efficient and effective and the Budget announcement reflects the Government’s strong commitment to our strategic direction of delivering practical solutions to major national challenges.
“CSIRO is looking ahead and creating options for our future to achieve sustainability and respond to change by developing talent, technology and innovation,”
CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Geoff Garrett said.
“The National Research Flagships set up by CSIRO have proved to be having an impact on a national level in the areas of vital importance to Australia – water, energy, light metals, food, human health and oceans,” Dr Garrett said.
“The resources announced in the Budget will allow us to expand their impact for the benefit of all Australians.”
Last year’s independent review of the Flagships Program, chaired by former Government Chief Scientist, Dr Robin Batterham, highlighted the fact that the Flagships are delivering powerful scientific solutions to national problems, successfully driving large-scale activity addressing Australia’s National Research Priorities in a collaborative, cooperative, and intensively managed manner.
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