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A Shorten Labor Government will end the Liberals’ war on science, restore trust in scientists and put science back at the centre of government, by resetting the relationship between government and Australia’s science and research community.
For the past five years, science and scientists have been denigrated or ignored, and funding has been cut, because the government refuses to listen to the experts on climate change, energy policy, and growing inequality in Australia.
Labor’s mission is to develop a relationship with our scientists and researchers based on trust, respect and mutual obligation, for the benefit of the Australian people.
Labor understands that scientific research and development is fundamental to Australia’s future. It’s fundamental to Australia’s capacity for innovation, for economic growth and productivity and for the creation of new jobs. It’s fundamental to the food we farm and eat, to the cities we live in, our energy future and security, the way we communicate, the health of our loved ones, and our national security.
If elected, a Shorten Labor Government will develop a charter with the Australian science and research community to establish the reciprocal roles, responsibilities and expectations of government and researchers.
As part of this charter Labor will:

• affirm our fundamental respect for academic freedom;
• review and strengthen the National Science and Research priorities; and
• establish a Prime Ministers Science and Innovation Council, responsible for identifying our national priorities in science and research.

A Shorten Labor Government is committed to reversing the decline in Australia’s research and development performance that has taken place in the past five years.
Labor is the only party committed to lifting Australian spending on Research and Development from 1.8 per cent of GDP to 3 per cent. We are committed to restoring our international competiveness.
And to restore the integrity of the Australian Research Council, we will legislate a requirement that Ministers must table an explanation in Parliament within 15 sitting days of rejecting any recommendation of funding by the Chief Executive Officer.
A Shorten Labor Government will also establish, for the first time in 20 years, a once in a generation, root-and-branch inquiry into strengthening our research capabilities across the whole of government.
Australia needs a new direction for science and research that brings scientists together instead of dividing their efforts.
The review’s terms of reference will build on the experience of similar reviews undertaken by Canada and the UK.
Leading scientists in Australia have committed themselves to being part of the review, which will be led by the former Chief Scientist and former vice-chancellor of the Australian National University, Professor Ian Chubb AC. Other members of the review panel include:

• Professor Christobel Saunders AO FRCS FRACS FAAHMS
• Professor Emma Johnston AO FRSN
• Professor Andrew Holmes AC FRS FAA FTSE
• Professor Karen Hussey
• Mr Phil Clark AM
• Professor Glyn Davis AC FASSA FIIPA

Additional members will be announced in due course.
Only Labor is committed to a stronger partnership between science and government, and to fostering a better relationship of deeper respect and greater co-operation. Australia’s future depends on it.

The Australian Greens will move amendments to Labor’s bill to ensure discrimination against LGBTQ+ teachers and staff, as well as students, is removed.
“Labor and the Morrison government must support the Greens amendments to include teachers and staff,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson.
“It’s clear from the title of Labor’s bill that it will only end discrimination against students and that religious schools would still be able to fire LGBTQ+ teachers and other staff, just for being who they are.”
“Labor needs to join the Greens in protecting teachers now. Not next year, not after the next election. No ifs, no buts, no more delays. We need to pass these reforms now.”
“We can’t afford any further delay before removing discrimination. Schools should be discrimination-free zones for all people, regardless of whether they are are a student or a staff member.”

Australian Greens Spokesperson for Gun Control and Senator for NSW, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has welcomed the Senate voting for her motion reaffirming support for the National Firearms Agreement and rejecting tactics of the gun lobby to weaken our gun laws. The Greens motion was supported by Labor, Senator Hinch, Senator Storer and Centre Alliance and opposed by the Government.
Senator Faruqi said:
“Passing this motion is a welcome sign that the Parliament will not give in to the gun lobby which seeks to water down our successful gun control laws in order to sell more guns.
“It is extremely disappointing to see the Government vote against this motion.
“The gun lobby’s attempts to replicate NRA tactics in Australia are reprehensible and must be rejected.
“The NRA is a blight on the American democracy. The Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia – SIFA – is bankrolled by gun industry heavyweights such as Beretta.
“The gun lobby is becoming increasingly active in election campaigns with a clear strategy to weaken gun laws. SIFA contributed $220,000 to a political campaign in Queensland last year, and at least $165,000 to a political campaign in Victoria this year.
“This shouldn’t just alarm us, this should terrify us all – we have to make sure our gun laws are never be watered down” she concluded.
The Motion:
That the Senate:
1) Notes that
a) There have been more than 50 breaches of the National Firearm Agreement across Australian states and territories since it was implemented in 1996
b) Corporate members of the gun lobby group Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia (SIFA) include suppliers and manufacturers of weapons such as NIOA, Raytrade, Outdoor Sporting Agencies, Winchester and Beretta who stand to benefit from relaxed gun laws
c) Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia (SIFA) becoming increasingly active in election campaigns with a clear strategy to weaken gun laws. The gun lobby group contributed $220,000 to a political campaign in Queensland last year and is contributing at least $165,000 to a political campaign in Victoria this year.
2) Calls on the Federal Government to ensure that the National Firearm Agreement is complied with in all Australian states and territories.
3) Calls on the Federal Government to resist moves to weaken Australia’s gun control laws.

Australian Greens Education Spokesperson and Senator for NSW, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has called the Liberal/National Government’s new research national interest test farcical.
Senator Faruqi said:
“The National Interest Test proposed by Minister Tehan is straight out of ‘Yes Minister’. This farcical proposal is the typical Liberal tactic of inventing a problem then trying to solve it.
“The Australian Research Council already requires researchers to demonstrate the benefits and impacts of their research.  If the Minister had spent even five minutes talking to the research community he would know that.
“Narrow political agendas of the Government of the day determining long term research priorities is a dangerous road to go down.
“The Minister makes a baseless claim that a ‘national research test’ will give confidence in research but the reality is that the research community has no confidence in a Minister that plays such silly games.
“The Liberals need to get out of the way and let researchers get on with the job of solving problems. I have a bill in the parliament to remove the Ministers veto altogether, which would be the best outcome to safeguard the independence of research,” she concluded.

A Shorten Labor Government will establish a Voice for First Nations people, and seek the support of the Australian people for that Voice to be enshrined in the Constitution.
Reports today that Labor is walking away from our commitment to a Voice are nonsense.
We support the Voice. We support enshrining it in the Constitution. It is our first priority for Constitutional change.
When 250 First Nations Leaders convened at Uluru last year and called for a Voice to Parliament, Labor heard that call.
In government, we will work with First Nations to make it a reality.
The Joint Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People will deliver its report on Thursday. Labor is proud to have three Indigenous MPs on that committee. Nobody can doubt Labor’s commitment to Constitutional reform.
We acknowledge the work of the many First Nations groups, academics and legal experts who made submissions to the inquiry outlining their views on the best way forward.
It has been 10 years since the issue of Constitutional recognition was first raised. First Nations people have made clear that their preferred form of meaningful recognition is a Voice to Parliament. We cannot ignore those calls.
It is disappointing that the Coalition continues to peddle lies about what the role of a Voice would be.
A Voice would not be a third chamber of parliament. It would be a mechanism for First Nations people to have a greater say in the policy issues that impact on their lives.
We have nothing to fear from working with First Nations people to address the many complex issues that affect the first Australians.
Labor has made clear that we will work with the Government, but we will not wait for them.
If bi-partisanship cannot be reached, we will look to legislate a new body as a first step on the pathway to enshrining it in the Constitution.
We will move quickly following the election to agree on a process with First Nations people – including a clear pathway to a referendum. We will also work with them in establishing a Makarrata Commission for agreement-making and truth-telling.
This will be a genuine process of government and First Nations working together to achieve meaningful change.
We will examine options for ensuring local, regional and national representation so that First Nations communities have a genuine say.
The Coalition has consistently failed to properly engage with First Nations people on important policy issues – leading to a litany of policy failures in Indigenous Affairs.
Whether it is the disastrous Indigenous Advancement Strategy, Community Development Program or the Close the Gap Refresh, only by working with First Nations people can we fix the legacy of failed policies left by this government and achieve a more equal, more reconciled Australia.

The passage of laws to make it easier for Governments to use the army within Australia is a dangerous step for our country, Greens Justice spokesperson Nick McKim said.
“Armies are not primarily trained for policing situations. They are trained to fight wars,” Senator McKim said.
“It is police forces that are trained primarily to maintain order and to keep the peace domestically in our country.”
“This legislation further blurs the lines between police forces and the Australian Defence Force, and is certain to be abused by authoritarian governments in the future.”
“It is disappointing that Labor and the LNP have stitched up a dangerous deal to make it easier for the army to be deployed against Australian people in their own country.”