Our Impact

Research Australia changes the conditions Australian health and medical research happens in.

We find allocated funding that is sitting unspent. We put neglected parts of the country on the national agenda. We produce the evidence that turns a good argument into a funded decision. We get the people who decide into rooms with the people who know. All so Australian innovations and discoveries become treatments, technology and care, faster.

We Produced The Evidence That

Regional research was missing from the national strategy. Now it’s in it.

Twenty-seven per cent of Australians live outside major cities. Only 13% of the health and medical research workforce is based there. Working with organisations across the sector, we produced evidence that surfaced this gap. Regional research is now an important part of the National Health and Medical Research Strategy.

Source: Research Australia’s response to the Productivity Commission’s Five Pillars of Productivity Inquiries, September 2025.

We Produced The Evidence That

Lifted the annual disbursements of MRFF to $1b per year by 2031

We produced the evidence that Medical Research Future Fund money was sitting unspent. Government released it, lifting annual disbursements from $650 million to $1 billion by 2030–31, with a further $508.5 million released over the next four years from 2026–27.

Source: Research Australia Pre-Budget Submission, January 2026; Australian Government Budget 2026-27.

We Produced The Evidence That

Arthritis research was underfunded. Now it has a $100m mission.

Arthritis Australia commissioned our funding-gap analysis and carried the case to government. In June 2026 the Australian Government committed $100 million over 10 years to an Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Conditions Research Mission, through the MRFF.

Source: Prime Minister’s media release, 11 June 2026.

We convened the process in which

Research leaders from 30 universities help shape what we take to government.

Since 2007, our University Roundtable has brought university research leaders together three to four times a year to agree shared priorities. Those priorities help shape the evidence and submissions we put to government.

Source: Research Australia University Roundtable, 2026.

Impact in Numbers

The measurable part

110+

member organisations across the entire system

71%

of Australia’s universities are Research Australia members

22 years

of Research Australia’s Health & Medical Research Awards

The Record

Our milestones

Full history of who we are

2026

Produced evidence

The $100m arthritis and musculoskeletal mission

We built the funding-gap evidence; Arthritis Australia carried the case and government funded it. The result: a $100m mission to build Australia’s capability in musculoskeletal treatment.

2023

Produced evidence

The Medical Research Future Fund

We showed the MRFF could support more than its $650 million annual allocation. Investment is now lifting to $1 billion a year by 2030-31.

2020

Convened

Consultation for the National Health and Medical Research Strategy

Brought the sector together ahead of the national strategy. Regional health now sits within it.

2018

Contributed to

MRFF Frontiers

We called for a share of the MRFF to back frontier research. The 2018 Budget created MRFF Frontiers.

2014

Contributed to

The Medical Research Future Fund

The case for a sustainable, long-term research fund. Our submissions were cited during the MRFF’s establishment.

Be part of what’s next.

Every milestone on this page was made with members behind it. Add your organisation to the next one.

Join us
Get in touch