Page 3125 - Week 09 - Thursday, 13 October 2022
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In announcing that it was bestowing this honour, the academy described Kim as “one of the Australian parliament’s fiercest science and research advocates”. I would go further and say he has been, hands down, the fiercest advocate for science and research in modern Australian politics.
Academy President, Professor Chennupati Jagadish said Kim “committed a great deal of his political life in government and in opposition to advocating for and defending public good research, science and technology and education.” The Academy’s Secretary for Science Policy, Professor Ian Chubb, someone who knows Kim very well, described Kim as a champion of research, innovation, jobs and industry and a champion of a fairer and better Australia.
As Professor Chubb did, I am going to draw on Kim’s own words from 2008, but they could be words from the 1990s or 2001 or anytime in between, because one thing everyone reflects on is Kim’s consistency. But 2008 was a critical year in Kim’s career: his first full year as Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research after the election of the Rudd government in 2007—a deliberate ministerial title and a busy time that I feel privileged to have been part of.
Let us start with the March 2008 speech, titled “Science serving society”. When I say ‘science’ I mean knowledge in all its forms. If I heard it once I heard it 100 times—and I will come back to this. One of the things in his speech was the importance of scientists speaking out and having the freedom to do so. The cultural change in our national politics that Kim was advocating, a radical departure from the approach of the Howard government when academic freedom was supressed, reflected his own approach to policymaking:
We relish debate and welcome the contest of ideas. We count on our scientists and researchers to improve our decision-making by sharing their expertise. Creativity and dissent are critical to the innovation process.
Kim is consistent in his values and his belief in the importance of science research, innovation and manufacturing in building a better future. Some have, I think, seen this as dogmatic at times. Kim has maintained his focus even when his ideas and priorities have not been fashionable.
But Kim is also endlessly curious, endlessly enthusiastic and endlessly optimistic that politicians working with knowledge holders across all spheres can actually make a difference. After almost 30 years in the rough and tumble of federal politics he still believes it is a worthwhile vocation.
Kim’s perspective is local and international and everything in between, from the interests of Victoria’s meatworkers and automotive manufacturing workers to the scientists engaging with colleagues around the globe and exploring mysteries of the universe with a massive radio telescope.
Later in 2008, Kim gave another speech at the Press Club, this was titled ‘The art of innovation’. It began:
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