Tuesday 25 March 2025
Research Australia, the national peak body for Australian health and medical research and innovation, welcomes a key focus on health services in this year’s Federal Budget.
Research Australia acknowledges that this Budget comes at an extremely difficult time not just for the Government but for all Australians as we continue to face a cost-of-living crisis.
“There is little doubt this Budget is seeking to provide much needed cost of living relief for Australians. However, a missed opportunity is the recognition that sustained investment in health and medical research and innovation, enables the Government to provide a more secure and sustainable future”, Ms Nadia Levin, CEO & Managing Director of Research Australia said.
A strong health and medical research and innovation sector enables greater health outcomes and productivity through better health; drives efficiencies across Australia’s health system; and delivers new revenue opportunities through creating Australian industries and the export of health innovations as well as the best possible healthcare in all of our communities,” Ms Levin said.
This coming year has the potential to offer a real opportunity to address the challenges underpinning our sector through the Australian Government’s development of the National Health and Medical Research Strategy, which Research Australia has advocated for since 2021, as well as the Strategic Examination of R&D.
A whole of systems approach to reforming the health and medical research and innovation sector is crucial. It is disappointing that this year’s Budget is not demonstrating the bold and ambitious reform or smarter investment needed for the health and medical research and innovation sector to continue to thrive now and into the future.
Research Australia continues to call for a commitment by all sides of politics to continue the development of both the National Strategy and the Strategic of Examination of R&D in the next Parliament. This commitment must also ensure adequate funding is provided for both the development and implementation of both key reform agendas for our sector.
The 2025-26 Federal Budget had an opportunity to enable the much needed reform for our sector, as detailed in our Pre-Budget Submission. Research Australia will continue to advocate on behalf of the health and medical research and innovation sector using the practical knowledge of our members who represent the whole ecosystem including universities, life sciences and health services.
Some additional funding in this year’s Budget relevant to the health and medical research sector:
-
-
- $33.9 billion in 2025–26 to extend the 2020–2025 Addendum to the National Health Reform Agreement (NHRA) to 30 June 2026
- $8.5 billion investment in Medicare to increase bulk billing rates through to 2030.
- $573 million for women’s health, which includes better access to long-term contraceptives as well as $100 million for to support national trials on access and treatments to uncomplicated urinary tract infections and contraceptives.
- $10.5 million over two years for more scholarships for nurses and midwives, with an additional 400 scholarships for nurses and midwives to undertake postgraduate study to extend their skills and qualifications.
-
ENDS
