Professor Ian Chubb AC - Australia’s new Chief Scientist

19-April-2011

Today’s announcement of the appointment of a new Chief Scientist is welcome news.

“I congratulate Ian Chubb on his appointment as Chief Scientist,” Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry and Science Sophie Mirabella said today.

“After three disastrous years of science policy neglect, this is a critical time for Australian science.”

There has been a chorus of discontent from the science community about this Government’s flagrant disregard for science – including:

•  the revelations that recently-resigned Chief Scientist Professor Penny Sackett never met Julia Gillard and only met Kevin Rudd once. This was despite her being appointed to “provide advice to the Prime Minister”; 

•  the Government’s attempts to vet all media releases written by science portfolio agencies so that they reflected Labor’s “key (political) messages”;

•  the cut to funding for international science collaboration;

•  the Government’s refusal to continue the vital ‘Primary Connections’ and ‘Science By Doing’ science programs for school students;

•  the Government’s attempts to smear and vilify scientists who don’t agree with its views, especially on global warming; and

•  the Government’s failure to resolve issues causing strikes at the CSIRO.

“It is a difficult time for a new Chief Scientist, and I wish Professor Chubb well as he embarks on the many challenges currently associated with the position,” Mrs Mirabella said.

“Professor Sackett said last month that the Government does not know what it wants from the role and that it must decide and define this.

“Until now Julia Gillard, Greg Combet and Mr Carr’s feigned interest in science has been utterly transparent. The Coalition hopes the appointment of a new Chief Scientist will help make science policy a priority again,” Mrs Mirabella concluded.