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  • Sep, 2012

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    Do we undervalue our public sector innovations?


    Nadine Flood questions whether governments take our science and other publicly funded breakthroughs for granted.

    The CSIRO is one of Australia’s most respected institutions. The Bureau of Meteorology is crucial in times of impending climate crisis. They are also part of the public service. And though their specialty is science, other areas of the public sector are also responsible for innovation — from agricultural land use to new ways of fighting tax evasion.

    See a brief history of CSIRO achievements from wi-fi to dollar notes.

    It’s a concept that is often lost at Budget time when governments keen to trim down costs often take a knife to the public sector. It’s easy pickings if the millions of dollars saved or made by innovations in technology, energy and health fail to be counted as assets.

    The CPSU’s Nadine Flood tells 3Q how the CSIRO’s development of wi-fi technology transformed the world and brought $500 million into Australia through patent fees. Yet if the Opposition has its way, crucial funding of the sciences and other public sector innovation would be lost.
    Further cuts on the grounds of “efficiency” will have long term effects on our ability to innovate.

  • Jun, 2012

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    Trust in Institutions

    Q. How much trust do you have in the following institutions and organisations?

     

    Total

    trust

    26 Sep 11

    Total

    trust

    12 Jun 12

    A lot of trust

    Some trust

    A little trust

    No trust

    Don’t know

    % change

    The High Court

    72%

    60%

    20%

    40%

    24%

    9%

    7%

    -12

    The ABC

    46%

    54%

    15%

    39%

    31%

    10%

    6%

    +8

    Charitable organisations

    61%

    50%

    8%

    42%

    35%

    10%

    5%

    -9

    The Reserve Bank

    67%

    49%

    13%

    36%

    30%

    14%

    7%

    -18

    Environment groups

    45%

    32%

    6%

    26%

    35%

    25%

    7%

    -13

    The Commonwealth Public Service

      49%*

    30%

    4%

    26%

    42%

    18%

    9%

    -19

    Religious organisations

    29%

    27%

    5%

    22%

    30%

    37%

    6%

    -2

    Newspapers

    na

    26%

    3%

    23%

    46%

    23%

    5%

    na

    Online news media

    na

    23%

    2%

    21%

    45%

    25%

    6%

    na

    Federal Parliament

    55%

    22%

    3%

    19%

    37%

    36%

    6%

    -33

    Trade unions

    39%

    22%

    3%

    19%

    32%

    37%

    9%

    -17

    Business groups

    38%

    22%

    2%

    20%

    46%

    24%

    8%

    -16

    TV news media

    na

    21%

    3%

    18%

    43%

    30%

    5%

    na

    Political parties

    na

    12%

    2%

    10%

    31%

    52%

    5%

    na

    Note: ‘Total Trust’ is an aggregate figure achieved by adding ‘A lot of trust’ and ‘Some trust’.

    * This Commonwealth Public Service figure is from a question asked in 6 Feb 12.

     

    Respondents had most trust in the High Court (60%), the ABC (54%), charitable organisations (50%) and the Reserve bank (49%). They had least trust in political parties (12%), TV news media (21%) Federal Parliament, trade unions and business groups (all 22%).

    Trust in all institutions (except the ABC) declined since this question was asked last year. The major changes were a collapse in trust in Federal Parliament (-33%) and substantial declines in trust in the Commonwealth Public Service (-19%), the Reserve Bank (-18%), trade unions (-17%) and business groups (-16%).

    Compared to the average, Labor voters had more trust in political parties (19%), Federal Parliament (34%), the High Court (67%),  the Reserve Bank (57%), the Commonwealth Public Service (42%), trade unions (36%) and  environment groups (43%).

    Liberal/National voters, compared to the average, had more trust in religious organisations (33%) and business groups (27%) but less trust in Federal parliament (17%), the ABC (46%), trade unions (14%) and environment groups (21%).

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