When Australia recently changed to a more environmentally (scientifically) progressive government, this was good news for many scientists - specifically those who collaborate with industry partners. However, funding for discovery projects is equally important - at the heart of all application-based projects is the knowledge gained from these studies. You cannot have one without the other. Think of it like a food chain: if you kill all the little fish, the big fish will have nothing left to feed on. Funding must flow to fundamental research to avoid scientific roadblocks.