Written by Joanna Melonek (PS)
On the early morning of 25 March, navigating the rather complex traffic situation on the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge, I made my way to the Australian Parliament House to attend the ‘Science Meets Parliament (SMP) 2026’ event. As stated on the Science & Technology Australia website ‘Science Meets Parliament features a comprehensive training program designed to strengthen relationships between federal parliamentarians and professionals in science and technology. It plays a vital role in integrating STEM expertise into national service’. This is therefore not exactly the type of meeting I am used to attending as a researcher, but I gladly accepted the challenge!
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Jonanna Melonek (PS) with Dr Sajitha Biju (UniMelb) in the Marble Foyer, Parliament House. Photo credit: SMP26 staff member.
This year’s SMP brought together more than 400 Australian STEM professionals in academia, industry, and government. The event also included parliamentarians, invited guests, speakers, sponsors and additional participants across a two-day program.
Over several sessions, we’ve heard from Ministers, Members of Parliament and researchers. One of the agenda items was the National Press Club address, where we heard from the Minister for Science, Senator Tim Ayres, who referred to the Ambitious Australia report and emphasised that Australian science is at the front of the Government’s agenda (his remarks may, in light of the recently announced budget, be viewed differently by some in the Australian science community; author’s note).
The evening culminated in a Gala Dinner, for which everyone got into their best clothes and brought their best spirits! (Picture 1). The dinner offered an extraordinary opportunity to network and make new connections but also catch up with old friends.
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Meeting with Senator Tammy Tyrrell. From left: Dr Kyana Pike, Dr Margo Adler, Sen. Tammy Tyrrell and Joanna Melonek (PS). Photo Credit: Banjamin Arja.
The highlight of Day 2 of SMP 2026 was a meeting with Senator Tammy Tyrrell, Senator for Tasmania, in her parliamentary office (Picture 2) and a final discussion with Prof. The Hon Bill Shorten, who put forward the idea that large Australian companies could contribute more directly to universities and higher education, noting that they benefit from the pool of graduates produced by these institutions.
Overall, my participation in SMP 2026 was a great experience and I highly recommend it. It felt good to be in the ‘Heart of Democracy’ and to be reminded, by the discreet sound of a bell, that important decisions were being voted on in the Parliament House as we were having the meeting there. My take-home message from the meeting is to be comfortable being uncomfortable and don’t be afraid to try new things from time to time.
I would like to thank to the Australian Society of Plant Scientists for the opportunity to attend the meeting and Science & Technology Australia for organising the event.
A longer version of my report has been published in the April edition of Phytogen.