Chief scientist unfazed by cabinet lineup

Australia's chief scientist Professor Ian Chubb has played down concerns about the incoming coalition government's failure to appoint a dedicated federal science minister.

The move by prime minister-elect Tony Abbott, which will see some areas of science come under the industry portfolio, has drawn community and Labor criticism and even sparked outcry from within the Liberal Party.

But Prof Chubb said supporting the future of science was about more than a ministerial title.

"If you look at the federal budget, science is spread over 14 portfolios already, so putting another one in there doesn't really make a huge amount of difference," Prof Chubb told ABC TV.

He said Australia needed to adopt a strategic approach to science which he hoped would involve a number of federal ministers and portfolios, with the support of the prime minister.

"The real benefit is when you have a senior minister with influence and a bit of power, who's passionate about science and whether they carry the title or not is a separate issue," Prof Chubb said.

The chief scientist's response was less passionate than that of Western Australian Liberal Dennis Jensen, who said "science is in crisis" and needed expert decision-making at a federal government level.

"We've got a minister for sport, for God's sake, but we don't have a minister for science," he told ABC TV, taking a swipe at the decision of his own party.

Acting Labor leader Chris Bowen said the omission of a federal science minister, who has been in place since the 1930s, showed the "botched" coalition cabinet line-up.

Prof Chubb - who is also a member of the Climate Change Authority, due to be scrapped by the incoming government - admitted there had been value in a dedicated science minister, but said a "whole of government" approach was the way forward.

On the topic of climate change, he said Australia should not ignore the evidence, describing as "silly" people who dismissed it as a myth.