New Commonwealth committee for government research investments

Australia’s Chief Scientist, Professor Ian Chubb AC, will lead a new committee to guide Australian Government research investment, ensuring it meets the nation’s strategic priorities and delivers long-term prosperity and security.

Releasing the Focusing Australia’s Publicly Funded Research Review, Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr said the Labor Government had increased its support for research, science and innovation, since taking office, by 43% to $9.4 billion this financial year.

“Australia’s research system is highly productive and is generally performing well. But we can’t rest. We need to make sure that our investment in research is flowing into and driving the rest of the innovation agenda. That is why the government has accepted four major recommendations from the review that will strengthen our national innovation system,” said Senator Carr.

A new Commonwealth committee, chaired by Professor Chubb, will provide the government with integrated and strategic advice on future research investments. Initially, the committee will develop a national research investment plan.

Senator Carr said his department will consult with stakeholders to update and refine national research priorities (NRP) to keep them relevant as broad statements of the government's aspirations for publicly funded research. This could potentially include a new NRP to better reflect the contribution of the humanities, arts and social sciences to the Australian research enterprise.

The government will undertake a feasibility study on possible approaches for developing a mechanism for evaluating the wider economic, social and environmental benefits of research.

“This review confirms the critical importance of partnerships and shows that Australia needs to lift its intensity of collaboration between universities and industry,” said Senator Carr. “We want to turn more of Australia’s world-class research into new products, industries and jobs.”

Information about the review can be found at www.innovation.gov.au/research.