Strategic advice

Ensuring Australia’s research ecosystem is as strong as possible is foundational for Australia’s future prosperity. The National Competitive Grants Program, as the largest funder of non-medical fundamental research, is a core component of this ecosystem.

A well-managed and funded Research and Development (R&D) sector can help Australia meet its social, environmental and economic challenges, building resilience and capability, and securing our nation's prosperity.

Australia’s farmers and regional communities face increasing drought risks due to climate change. This submission to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s offers key recommendations to enhance the country's resilience in the face of increased droughts.

Australia’s successful health and medical research sector plays a key role in driving innovation, improving patient outcomes, and strengthening the economy and has enormous potential to do more.

The development of an Advanced Technology Industries Strategy will help to make the most of the outsized impact of Tasmania’s research and development sector by catalysing the transformation of breakthroughs into real world applications that benefit Tasmanians and build the state’s economic resilience.

The review focuses on updating South Australia’s Environment Protection (Waste to Resources) Policy 2010 to better support a transition to a circular economy, enhance resource recovery, and protect the environment from waste pollution.

Nuclear power may be an option for Australia in the coming decades, potentially occupying a supportive niche, providing dispatchable power in a high-renewables grid. While not presupposing the suitability of nuclear power for Australia, ATSE suggests that all technology options should be considered as part of Australia’s urgent decarbonisation project.

Waste materials can be used as vital feedstock for manufacturing, and emerging technologies are helping to increase the range of products that can be recycled and remanufactured to develop new products, including traditionally hard to recycle products.

Engineers Australia and ATSE support a review of energy planning and regulation. Energy planning and regulation must balance the power systems' physical requirements, the best interests of the end users and market considerations.