I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, and I pay my respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
It’s great to be here with you all this evening.
To celebrate the future of Australian science and to look back on a proud history of these awards.
Back in 2000, one of the very first prize winners was Dr Jim Peacock.
A molecular biologist, he would later go on to be Australia’s Chief Scientist.
Jim has a great way of explaining what it feels like to do science; to delve into the unknown and come up with new ways to understand the world.
In his words, it’s:
“… like feeling your way into a dark room, when suddenly the light goes on because you’ve found the switch.”
Here tonight are some of our most remarkable scientists, researchers, innovators and educators.
And we’re celebrating everything you’ve done to light the way.
The story of Australian science and innovation goes back 65,000 years.
And today, it’s everywhere you look.
Especially here in our nation’s capital.
Almost 80 years after winning a Nobel Prize for his work with penicillin, we remember Howard Florey by the Canberra suburb named in his honour.
The city’s street signs feature a rollcall of greats like Bragg, Kenny and Unaipon.
There’s so much to celebrate in Australia’s scientific history – in all that it has brought us here at home, and all that it has made possible across the world.
Take the HPV vaccine. First developed at the University of Queensland by Australian of the Year Dr Ian Frazer, it is making huge inroads in the fight against cervical cancer.
Together with improvements in screening and treatment, the HPV vaccine has put us on track to be the first country in the world to eliminate cervical cancer.
Yet cervical cancer casts a terrible shadow across our region. One in four global cervical cancer cases occur in the Indo-Pacific. And, tragically, women in the Pacific die of the disease at up to 13 times the rate of women in Australia.
These are our neighbours, our friends, our family.
That is why at the Quad Leaders’ Summit in the United States last month, I joined President Biden and Prime Ministers Modi and Kishida to announce the Quad Cancer Moonshot Initiative.
Australia is expanding our funding commitment to the Elimination Partnership in the Indo-Pacific for Cervical Cancer.
Assisted by a generous contribution from the Minderoo Foundation, it will use Australian cervical cancer expertise to help more partner governments get HPV vaccine programs up and running across the region.
This is an international effort. By working together, we are making a difference in the world. And it is all because of Australian science.
It is exciting to contemplate what’s still to come.
Together, we have a chance to create a better Australia – and a better world – powered by science.
And to do that, we need only look to the core ingredients we’ve relied on before.
Imagination and curiosity. Respect for scientific expertise. And investment.
Ultimately, investing in science is investing in our future.
That’s why we’ve recently launched our new ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Science Statement and new ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Science and Research Priorities.
It’s the first update to the priorities in nearly a decade.
And together, both documents form a science framework that will help us draw on our greatest minds to solve some of the most pressing challenges of our time.
That includes preparing for future pandemics, tackling the challenges and seizing the opportunities of climate change, and responding to the rapid advance of artificial intelligence and automation.
We’re also elevating the knowledge and science of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Whether as community leaders, traditional knowledge holders or researchers, it is important that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a seat at the table in advancing research that affects them.
And we’re focusing our efforts across government, academia and the private sector as we build A Future Made in Australia.
Our scientific community is at the forefront of Australia’s industrial transformation.
Paving the way for new jobs and opportunities here at home in Australia.
And turning Australian ingenuity into economic success.
It’s something I saw for myself when I visited Geoscience Australia last month.
While I was there, I got to hold a piece of the moon – an extraordinary thing to be able to say.
Just as compelling were the conversations we had about the sun, namely, how we can use our abundance of sunshine – as well as wind – to become a world leader in renewable energy.
With the Future Made in Australia agenda, we’re investing $566 million to help our geoscientists map something else we have in abundance – critical minerals.
Minerals that will be the building blocks for the solar panels and batteries we plan to build, right here, in Australia. Minerals that will help us write the next exciting chapter in our long, proud energy story.
As a nation, we’ve always been good at celebrating our sporting achievements. The medal haul by our athletes at the Paris Olympics was one more example of Australia punching well above our weight.
It’s a wonderful tradition, but not one that’s restricted to the track and the pool.
We should all take pride in what a scientific powerhouse our country is.
In 2022, 3.4 per cent of the world’s published research came out of Australia.
In other words, roughly ten times our share of the world’s population.
And, like our athletes, our scientists are in demand all over the world.
To make sure we’re maximising the impact of our expertise, we’ve commissioned a strategic review of our research and development system.
Helping us maintain our competitive edge, and making sure our ingenuity is able to benefit all Australians.
Australia is blessed with such an abundance of resources, but our greatest resource is our people. That is why we’re investing in the people of our scientific community.
We’ve committed $38 million to enhance diversity and broaden pathways for all Australians in STEM.
From 2025, we’ll introduce a $250,000 Prime Minister’s Prize for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledge Systems.
This new prize will be a mark of Australia’s respect for, and commitment to advancing, the scientific contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Of course, we can’t have an outstanding STEM workforce without outstanding teachers.
There are few jobs in the world more important than being a teacher. Teachers don’t just unlock the doors of opportunity, they hold them open.
Teachers – in all that they do and all they make possible – are our greatest weapon against disadvantage.
And there are more than a few of you in the audience this evening.
When it comes to shaping our scientific future, the role that teachers play is vital.
Which is why I’m pleased to announce that, starting from tonight, we are increasing the value of our secondary and primary school teacher awards to $250,000 each.
There’s so much to look forward to – for the prizes, and for the future of Australian science and innovation.
I started tonight by speaking about one of Australia’s Chief Scientists. I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge another.
Dr Cathy Foley, whose term draws to a close in December.
Dr Foley has been a passionate advocate for Australia’s science and technology over her tenure.
Dr Foley, you have done so much to advance science in Australia, and while your term has an end date, the effects of your contribution do not. On behalf of the nation, I want to say thank you.
I want to finish by acknowledging the truly outstanding people gathered here.
Whether you’re being recognised for your research, for your contribution to our society and our economy and for the spark of curiosity you’ve ignited in the next generation – thank you for the light you bring to Australia.
Congratulations to every one of you.
