The solution to Australia’s innovation struggles lies in a “strategic middle ground,” between large-scale moonshot missions and spreading limited resources too thin across a multitude of sub-scale programs, according to CSIRO chief executive Dr Doug Hilton, who says the current “Hunger Games” funding system needs to change.
As another review of Australia’s research and development system gets underway, Dr Hilton on Wednesday proposed a fundamental shakeup, calling for a shift to more industry collaboration on medium to large projects that take a decade or more, and that involve hundreds of researchers.
The structure is more likely to deliver the breakthroughs and new industries in areas like precision medicines, biodiversity, critical minerals and clean energy, while still providing spillover research benefits, he said.
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