Introduction - acknowledgments

Thank you Professor Sheil for the kind introduction.

I acknowledge the Ngunnawal people, and all First Nations people present – and recognise their continuing connection to the land, water, and community.

Thank you to Professor Jagadish, Anna-Maria, and the Academy for the invitation to speak. Thank you both for your distinguished service.

I’d also like to acknowledge the many brilliant minds who are coming to speak today.

Professor Stephen Garton, President of the Australian Academy of the Humanities.

Professor Ian Chubb and Robyn Denholm, doing important work as part of the SERD expert panel.

Martijn Wilder – who is doing important work at the National Reconstruction Fund.

Barney Glover, who I recently spoke to about his milestone report on AI and its effects on jobs and skills.

Last night the Minister for Science, Minister Ayres, spoke at the Shine Dome gala dinner.

In his speech, he detailed his vision for an Australia that is independent in our industrial capabilities, and ambitious for our future.  

An Australia with more economic opportunities and improved quality of life for all.

That’s not to say we in government are starry-eyed about what’s involved in realising this vision.

The Albanese Government recognises the challenges Australia faces.

Treasury’s 2023 Intergenerational Report identified five major forces that will shape the Australian economy over the coming decades:

• population ageing,
• expanded use of digital and data technology,
• climate change and the net zero transformation,
• rising demand for care and support services, and
• increased geopolitical risk and fragmentation.

CSIRO identified similar global megatrends in its 2022 Our Future World report.

It was this document that highlighted the importance of science and innovation in responding to these great challenges and creating a brighter future.

At the centre of science are capable people.

They’re also at the centre of a Future Made in Australia.

Our Future Made in Australia agenda is about rebuilding capability, driving innovation, raising labour productivity, and capturing new economic opportunities.

It is about ensuring Australian workers and businesses benefit from the global energy transition – rather than watching it unfold from the sidelines.

I congratulate the Academy for releasing today’s report, Australian Science, Australia’s Future: Science 2035.

This is an important document.

Essentially, it forecasts supply and demand with respect to our science workforce capabilities.

Australia must uplift our critical science workforce to enable Australia to respond to national and global challenges.

I am optimistic about Australia’s ability to meet these challenges.

But to do this will mean having the right capabilities in place.

And this starts with people.

The Science 2035 report put forward by this Academy highlights some troubling trends.

In 2023 only a quarter of year 12 students studied maths – a decline from 35 per cent 2008.

And undergraduate commencements in the natural and physical sciences haven’t returned to pre-COVID levels, a drop of 17 per cent.

We must bridge the gap between skills we have now and the challenges we know are coming.

The students of today become the brilliant scientists of tomorrow.

But they need to know there is a great future for them.

I am optimistic about the future.

We should not forget the great things that are being done and the great opportunities we can grasp.

And we should celebrate them.

Australians are naturally curious about the world.

Indeed, even though we only have 0.3 per cent of the world’s population, about 1 in every 20 of the most highly cited researchers are based here.

This curiosity is reflected across the country.

National Science Week 2025 recently concluded.

It was the biggest and most successful yet.

Across the country we saw a record-breaking 2,580 events take place – an incredible testament to the enthusiasm for science in Australia.

Later this year, the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science will celebrate the achievements of recipients across 8 diverse categories.

Scientists, innovators, early to mid-career researchers, people practicing Indigenous knowledge systems, and teachers will be awarded for their contribution to Australia, and the world.

By shining a light on the success of these role models, we recognise the importance of their work and give them the platform to inspire other Australians to join them.

As well as celebrating our role models in science, we must also inspire and celebrate our future stars in STEM.

This year we have had some remarkable achievements from some of Australia’s brightest young minds.

In July, we were proud to support the Australian Maths Trust in hosting the 66th International Mathematical Olympiad on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.

Welcoming the world to our shores was a moment of pride – and our Australian team rose to the occasion, placing 15th out of 111 competing countries.

An extraordinary result on the global stage.

Earlier in the year, the 2025 Australian team for the European Girls Olympiad in Informatics visited Germany and brought home one gold medal, one silver and two bronze medals, with our top-scoring student ranking overall 4th out of 226 students.

I was particularly pleased to see a talented young woman from Parramatta bringing home a medal for Australia.

I congratulate the Academy on the launch of its Science 2035 report.

It has highlighted crucial issues.

Some of these issues are being looked at closely by the expert members of the SERD Panel. We are looking forward to outcomes of their work.

But the report released by the Academy and the discussions today will be key inputs to Government’s thinking.

Informed debate is essential to shaping effective policy.

Thank you for your valuable work and for helping build a better future for all Australians.