FASTS —The Federation of Australian Science and Technology Societies

Dr Michael Roderick

Science Meets Parliament - an annual event

"Science meets Parliament" is a two day event in Canberra which encourages scientists to put a personal and enthusiastic face to their science before Federal MPs and Senators.  ESA encourages ecological representation by sponsoring one student member and one regular member to attend. . 

Science meets Parliament 2005: report from ESA student member, Prue Loney

Thanks to a travel grant from ESA I attended Science meets Parliament, March 8th and 9th in Canberra.  On the first day of the event I was briefed by parliamentarian advisors on what to expect in the meetings, and how to get the most out of the meeting with the parliamentarians.  On the second day I met with parliamentarians, and using the research performed by my research group as an example, I attempted to illustrate what an ecological problem is, how we go about researching these problems, how we apply our research to solving these problems, and the importance of continuing research into such ecological issues.  Funnily enough, the most beneficial encounter that I had meeting a parliamentarian didn’t actually come from one of the organised meetings.  At the FASTS dinner I was seated next to Mr Dick Adams, MHR, who showed a particular interest in my groups research into developing non-lethal methods of browsing management for application in Tasmania’s forestry industry.  Recently Mr Adams came and visited where my research is based at the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Sustainable Production Forestry in Hobart, where he was briefed on our research on mammal browsing and several other area of the CRC’s research.

My attendance at SMP provided me with a unique opportunity to gain a firsthand understanding of the position science holds in the parliamentary process, factors that affect policy construction and implementation, and the science priorities of our Australian Government.  I’d like to thank ESA for a most beneficial and enjoyable experience.

Science Meets Parliament 2003

The fifth FASTS 'Science meets Parliament' event was held in Canberra on 14th & 15th of October 2003. ESA assisted 4 student members to attend the event in 2003. Here are some extracts from their reports.

ESA student members at Science Meets Parliament: Nigel Andrews, Kirsti Abbott, Matt Sheehan and Jason Cummings.
Over two days in Canberra we got to know the ins and outs of dealing with politicians!

The issues we raised in our meetings were dependent upon the politician and their mood. If they seemed interested in scientific issues, we would try to determine those about which they felt most passionate. If they were more adversarial, we were advised to follow the official FASTS key issues (i.e. the safest route) regarding public and private investment in science and more generally in universities (see FASTS website www.fasts.org , and check out Backing Australia's Ability at http://backingaus.innovation.gov.au).

Meeting with Parliamentarians

Nigel Andrew: I was penciled in to meet Peter Slipper MP (Liberal) Member for Fisher (Qld) and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance and Administration. We met him in a group of three, the other members being a materials chemist from ANSTO working in nanotechnology and security research, and a CSIRO researcher working on microwave communication systems. Peter made it clear that he was meeting us out of respect and courtesy for being involved in the event rather than a real interest in scientific issues that we wanted to raise.

Kirsti Abbot: I was scheduled to meet Hon Larry Anthony MP (Liberal) Member for Richmond - and Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. Unfortunately he was in the House of Reps and couldn't attend, so I met his advisor, Peter McConnell, with two other scientists as well, a pharmacist and an audiologist. We talked to him for 30 mins, and he seemed genuinely interested but a bit distracted too. I had come armed with very general scientific issues, but despite his apparent enthusiasm for science, he was really only interested in science that could directly help him or Larry in their pursuit of the Children and Youth Affairs portfolio. Clearly the pharmacist was in the best position to take over here!

Matt Sheehan : My meeting was with Hon Dick Adams MP (ALP) Member for Lyons (Tas). While I was waiting in the foyer of his office with the two other scientists, a policy and research coordinator at the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and a researcher within the Science Innovation and Quality Unit of the Department of Primary Industries (Vic), I glanced around the room at the décor. My eyes fixed on a poster of a log truck deep in the rainforests of Tasmania loaded with logs with the slogan 'Forests are a renewable resource' . I suddenly felt a knot develop in my stomach - I was so worried about where this interview would go and whether I was going to put my foot in it!

Jason Cummings : For me, actually meeting a parliamentarian in their office was just the icing on the cake. After getting "bumped" from 10 am until 4.30 pm I was skeptical whether it was actually going to happen, it did, and was refreshing and insightful. We discussed the lack of career opportunity for young research scientists, HECS inequalities for science versus other types of secondary school teachers, our research interests and whether Australia can catch up with other countries given the recent lack of investment in science. Unfortunately I had to close the meeting after 45 minutes and sprint to my plane, which was fortunately delayed on the tarmac.