This piece reports claims from the Health Minister -> "Australia has a 'golden opportunity' to become global medical research leader post-coronavirus" stating 1/ We led #COVID19 response 2/ strong medical research sector => global leader. Well not quite https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-14/coronavirus-opportunity-australia-medical-research-global-leader/12353754

This is true we are lucky in Australia to have successfully tackled #COVID19 & we haven't diverted considerable resources. True too that we have a strong medical research sector in Australia. However stating Australia has the potential to become a global leader is way overstated

In the global medical research landscape, Australia is small but we are doing pretty well in terms of output with little resources we have compare to others countries. But there are some serious issues in Australia https://theconversation.com/mckeon-review-we-need-to-integrate-research-and-health-services-9742

So how medical research is funded in Australia? Essentially 4 ways: #NHMRC, #MRFF charitable organizations and R&D expenditure. Basic research, which fuel innovation, is quasi exclusively funded through the NHMRC. Unfortunately NHMRC budget has been stagnant from the last 8 years

The #MRFF has been a major focus for health research expenditure in last ~ 4-5 years. Overall more $$$ for medical research sector but MRFF 1/l funds directed towards translational research 2/ Large amount of $$$ discretionary. In short MRFF = low value for money & poorly spent.

R&D expenditure in Australia is very poor. Only 1.7% of the total GDP & has dropped. We have pretty much no industry to attract R&D research funds in Australia unlike Japan and Korea (graph OECD). To do R&D in Australia & receive support from industry is difficult to say at least

Next philanthropy. Australia is doing a very poor job compared to UK or the USA. Funding from philanthropy is low (see example on cancer, source parliament of Australia) & as mentioned in the piece we are going to be affected post #COVID19

Additionally, universities in Australia relies a lot on international student fees to funds teaching & research due to a long stand public policy (~ > 10 years). With #COVID19 these funds have dropped, which will causes some serious troubles to maintain world class research

In short without sustainable funding towards medical research and in particular basic research, there is no way or whatsoever Australia will become a "global leader" for medical research. I don't see it happening any time soon unfortunately