Australian budget marked by major cuts to science research

The Guardian : The newly published 2014 Australian science budget is mixed. Increases in funding were provided for the Future Fellowships mid-career grants program; the Antarctic research program, primarily for air transportation; and the Open Pool Australian Lightwater nuclear research reactor for operations for the next 4 years. The most positive move was the creation of an investment fund to accumulate $20 billion, which will be used for medical research. However, the gains are perhaps overshadowed by funding cuts beyond expectations and the elimination of $850 million worth of research and commercialization programs. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, the Australian Institute for Marine Science , and the Australian Research Council all received deeper funding cuts than predicted. And the $1.3 billion Australian Renewable Energy Agency has been eliminated.