If you look back in history in Australia you will see that our agricultural innovations, for example the stump- jump plough, were based on the inspirational spark of an individual who had a clear problem which needed to be solved in the context of their own farm, industry or whatever. They were able to produce that innovation and it spread slowly throughout society. Years, in fact, were allowed for these things to develop. But we do not have that kind of time scale now. Modern society requires a much greater effort on our part, a coordinated and sustained effort in research and development to produce the kind of innovation and pace of change which modern society demands.
Research also carries with it substantial costs.
It is not always possible for people to make this level of commitment privately and individually in the way in which they could in the past. Industry also has conflicting demands for immediate results and for research driven by commercial goals. That is perfectly understandable in the context of industry. Industry needs to respond to the imperative of the short- term profit motive. But that may not always be in the long- term national interests of Australia.