10/05/2005 - Australia's
position as world leader in environment research
has been strengthened with Federal Budget
funding of $100 million over five years to
establish world class hubs of environmental
research , the Minister for the Environment
and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell said today.
The funding will be provided under the Commonwealth
Environment Research Facility ( CERF ), announced
by the Prime Minister in September 2004.
Senator Campbell said CERF was aimed at creating
national research hubs and building critical
mass in areas of Australia's environmental
research strengths and national research priorities.
CERF specifically supports proposals that
demonstrate strong public good outcomes.
"We need to ensure Australia's unique
environment is properly understood and benefits
from the development of high-quality environmental
research addressing the environmental issues
facing us," he said.
"CERF will create national research
hubs of Australia's best environmental researchers
to build on current strengths and address
gaps in our current capacity and represents
a further instalment to the national research
effort by the Australian Government.
"Under the CERF programme, the Government
will invest $40 million to support world-class
research on the Great Barrier Reef and tropical
rainforests.
"Funding of $3 million will initially
be provided in 2005–06 to establish the Marine
and Tropical Sciences Research Facility and
to consolidate the work of the Cooperative
Research Centre ( CRC ) for the Great Barrier
Reef and the CRC for Tropical Rainforest Ecology
and Management.
"The remaining amount of $60 million
will be allocated through national funding
rounds, the first of which will be conducted
in 2005-06 with successful proposals receiving
funding from 2006-07.”
The research facilities will support environmental
public policy objectives in a range of critical
areas, drawing on multiple disciplines, professional
partnerships and existing research efforts.
The programme will operate from 2005-06 to
2009-10.
"The programme builds on Australia's
capacity to understand and respond to environmental
concerns-an outcome that benefits us all,"
Senator Campbell said.
