From groundbreaking medical research for new cancer treatments to the search for the first stars and galaxies, HPC has consistently played an instrumental role in many home-grown discoveries.

Yet, as the demand for well-supported HPC resources continues to grow, Australia's existing infrastructure is significantly constraining researchers. Serious issues that are impeding progress include hardware limitations and reliability, as well as a lack of support with respect to software development, maintenance and optimisation.

Currently, researchers must compete for time on Australia’s national facilities: the Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre and the National Computational Infrastructure.

Unfortunately, requests for time far exceed the time available. Put simply, these facilities are oversubscribed which is impeding research.

Also, the constant and rapid advance of computing technology, combined with an increasing diversity of researcher needs, means more and more end-users either lack or cannot access the expertise required to effectively leverage HPC. This is being compounded by the rise of computationally hungry artificial intelligence (AI), which is increasingly becoming a standard tool in research. Many early-career researchers, and those unfamiliar with the niche skillset required to use HPC effectively, are disadvantaged.

In addition, researchers often face prolonged wait times from application to allocation. This is another impediment to the timely publication of results in a fast-paced world of research races.

When researchers cannot access the HPC resources they need, the flow-on effects are extensive, including a much longer runway for commercialisation or simply missed opportunities for innovation.

To address these challenges, the model which governs how HPC resources are allocated could be refined. Providing researchers with more autonomy and flexibility to select their HPC provider from a group that includes certified commercial facilities would ensure they get the fit-for-purpose resources they need, when they need them.

Globally, precedents have been set with respect to HPC funding for both national and commercial providers. For instance, the UK Meteorological Office announced a move to the cloud with a £1.2 billion investment to capitalise on the power of commercial HPC.

As the proliferation of AI intensifies the demand for agile HPC solutions is more crucial than ever. Commercial HPC providers procure hardware just in time, bypassing the limitations of multi-year cycles. This approach ensures that researchers receive timely access to the latest resources.

Moreover, commercial HPC companies can prioritise tailored solutions, with HPC experts dedicated to addressing each researcher’s distinct needs and challenges, empowering them to focus solely on their scientific endeavours.

The Albanese Government’s agreement to all 10 recommendations of the Review of the Australian Research Council Act 2001 is welcome. It’s also encouraging to see that Federal Education Minister Jason Clare is likewise focussed on strengthening Australia’s research landscape, ensuring it remains responsive to contemporary challenges.

The HPC sector is looking forward to the review and is committed to collaborating with the Government to support scientific advancement in diverse sectors such as health, defence, space exploration, life sciences, and environmental research.