CANBERRA, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Australian scientists need to collaborate more with their colleagues in other countries, a leading Australian scientist said on Wednesday.

    This would enable Australian research to receive a lot more notice in the scientific press, said Professor Robin Batterham from the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.

    "Demonstrably, it leads to more citations as a minimum," he told the National Press Club in Canberra.

    Collaboration between Australian scientists and their counterparts was one of the priorities outlined in a federal government white paper.

    "Full marks to the paper," Batterham said.

    The problem though was that governments did not like using taxpayers' money for researchers outside Australia.

    They would rather spend public money on innovation inside the nation, he said.

    Batterham, who recently returned from a trip to India, described as "world class" that nation's science, technology and application.