Submission: AAMRI VIC State Budget 2025-26

A thriving independent medical research institute ecosystem is essential to Melbourne maintaining its reputation as a globally recognised research powerhouse, rivalling Boston and London as one of the top three biomedical precincts in the world.

The Victorian Government has been a strong supporter of the medical research sector and has shown its understanding of the combined economic and social benefits of a thriving research sector. The Victorian Government’s Economic Growth Statement highlighted health technologies and medical research as priority sectors and noted the economic potential of our position as a national and international leader in medical research and pharmaceuticals production.

Support for the sector, both through funding research and infrastructure as well as providing strategic direction through Victoria’s Health and Medical Research Strategy has been fundamental to establishing our world leading reputation.

Despite this, Victoria’s independent medical research sector currently faces an existential threat and is fundamentally unsustainable.

The sector is facing this situation for a range of reasons, but the most significant issue threatening the futures of our institutes is the gulf between the full costs of research and the costs covered by research grants.

These costs are growing at a rapid rate, however, the government’s support to cover these costs, through the Operational Infrastructure Support Program, has not meaningfully increased since 2016, causing funding to decline in real terms.

Urgent action to cover the full costs of research is required to save Victoria’s independent medical research sector.

Read through the full submission below.