Support for innovation in Australia is further endangered as the Government continues to link the future of the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) to the passage of the Higher Education Bill.
Funding for the scheme is available until 1 July 2015 and any further support is uncertain.
As the current managing agency for the NCRIS Biofuels project and past manager of the NCRIC Recombinant Protein project, AusBiotech has first-hand oversight of how the Government's investment in the development of biotechnology in Australia has been leveraged.
When AusBiotech previously assessed the projects it managed, the Government's investment of $23 million has been significantly leveraged with the total value of infrastructure across the 11 partner organisations estimated to be $56.27 million, for the manufacture of recombinant proteins and biofuels in pre-commercial quantities.
AusBiotech CEO, Dr Anna Lavelle said: "AusBiotech is disappointed to see the future of NCRIC threatened and particularly concerned that its future is now apparently linked to an unrelated policy area, instead of the program being judged on its own merit.
"As Australia has a large geography and related research teams are dispersed, it makes excellent sense for government to encourage non-duplication of expensive infrastructure and provide to public and private researchers access in a regulated manner. Central coordination and financial support has proved to be effective, add significant value and is required ongoing."
With less than six months remaining until the project expires, there are mounting concerns about the NCRIS's future and about the damage that is occurring due to uncertainty of funding.