21.03.2006.

The Productivity Commission,
Fax No:0262403311

			Public Support for Science and Innovation.

I respond to the Commissions Advertisement in the Australians Newspaper of the 20th instant concerning public support for science and innovation and wish to submit the following.
At a recent function concerning Nuclear Energy held by the Highett branch of the Liberal Party, following the guest speaker Dr Dennis Jensen M.P. a general discussion took place and as I recall the observation was made by one of two attendees, either Dr Mike Nahan or Associate Professor Martin Savoir that none of our leading or in fact any university currently has a chair or faculty of Nuclear Physics.  Furthermore this situation had existed in Australia in excess of twenty years or more. Some basic desk research undertaken by the writer would tend to validate this statement.
On the assumption that this is the case it should indicate that this is an area that would bear investigation by your Commission and a proposal for the provision of sufficient funding in this area alone to fill this large gap in our tertiary education facilities would appear to be logical. It is not beyond the realms of possibility that the provision of Nuclear power will be a fact in the forthcoming decade as well as a nuclear waste disposal facility within the continent of Australia. To ensure that we have the manpower to work in this field of endeavour needs no amplification as well as providing for basic scientific research in the field itself.
As I understand the Commission’s work - one the objectives is the removal of impediments to Public support for science and from the writers perspective the above proposal would remove a significant impediment and create areas of opportunities for future Australians. 

  Yours Sincerely,

Colin Gourley

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