Improving laboratory learning

It has been most encouraging to see science (and innovation) at the forefront of Australian domestic politics in recent months. It is also reassuring to see broader bipartisan agreement from the major political parties on the importance of science and research to the nation’s future. Governments may choose to prioritise the areas of scientific endeavour that warrant greater support but the acknowledgement by our political leaders (federal and state) that science and innovation is vital for the nation’s future has not always been forthcoming. The funding mechanisms (e.g. grant schemes) and business incentives (e.g. taxation) put in place by governments are important catalysts of ideally spontaneous processes leading to innovation and economic advances. However, this pathway is very complicated.