Australia needs a long-term plan to harness science and innovation for the national interest, Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane has told parliament.
Delivering a ministerial statement on Monday, Mr Macfarlane called for a bipartisan approach on scientific research to benefit Australians for years to come.
"We need a plan for the long term, not just for a year or two," he told the lower house on Monday.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten accused the government of insincerity in its pledge to support the nation's scientific community and innovative industries.
He said the government was saluting the sectors at the same time as cutting funding for the CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology.
"You cannot say you are committed to science when you ignore the evidence and shoot the messenger," Mr Shorten said.
"They are captive to a nostalgia that says `things are good as we can expect any change is likely to be a bad thing'."
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