Helping shape Australia's new National Science and Research Priorities

The UNSW SMaRT Centre contributed to Australia's newly announced updated National Science and Research Priorities.

In correspondence with SMaRT, the Federal Department of Industry, Science and Resources said:

"Thanks to your considered contribution, Australia’s revitalised science policy framework is based on scientific evidence and shaped by your views.  

"The Statement places science at the forefront of Australia’s industrial transformation and the Australian Government’s commitment to a future made in Australia. The government’s vision for science is: 

"Through science and innovation, Australia will develop new industries that drive a dynamic economy, provide well paid jobs, improve our quality of life, preserve our unique environment and build a future made in Australia.  

"Together, they will set a long-term direction for Australia’s science system.  

"Again, we thank you for your contribution to the development of the Priorities and Statement."

SMaRT emphasised in its submission for the need to use waste as a resource in future capability building, and is pleased the first priority of transitioning to a net zero future includes the following statement:

"We will develop and use new technologies, materials and processes to change energy generation and storage, heavy industries and agriculture. Australia will transition to a circular economy, turning waste into opportunity."

The new priorities are: 

• transitioning to a net zero future
• supporting healthy and thriving communities
• elevating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders knowledge systems
• protecting and restoring Australia’s environment
• building a secure and resilient nation. 

The priorities support the National Science Statement. 

Excerpt from SMaRT's own submission:

It is essential we strive to develop a circular economy – or many localised circular economies – in which we keep materials in use for as long as possible and use these recovered materials to establish new business supply chains, in order to better ensure we use “waste as a resource” to build the components and infrastructure needed to electrify our communities. So, such an approach would help to create new jobs, along with other economic, social and environmental benefits. 

In order to accelerate the energy transition and translation of R&D to “enable a productive and innovative economy” and support each of the priorities, we also need to support development and implementation of industry-focussed research in partnership with industry end users throughout the R&D journey. Importantly, we need to include a strong focus on the next stage of implementation of lab-based research to ensure it is able to be applied in industry settings. This means enabling piloting and demonstration of technologies developed as part of the R&D.

Some emerging technologies and capabilities are available to reform much of the valuable materials contained in many of the “hard to recycle” waste types not subject to traditional waste and recycling processes, such as electronic waste (e-waste), and battery and PV wastes, into new products and manufacturing feedstock needed to create a truly viable, long term and sustainable clean energy industry. 

By successfully piloting and implementing such technologies means local SMEs using these emerging capabilities can become part of new supply chains and help develop ‘green manufacturing’ capability by adopting solutions like those developed by the UNSW SMaRT Centre, such as our decentralised MICROfactorie^TM Technology solutions for creating value from waste. 

This approach would drive local and regional solutions for hi-tech waste recycling and manufacturing, especially in capturing metals and other essential materials from waste, reforming them into high value materials to help obviate the need for mining, transportation and processing of natural resources which collectively create negative environmental, economic and social impacts.