[Aqualist] ALP Research Policy and $35m Centre of Excellence in Tropical Research

[Simon Haberle]

25/08/04__________________________
Greetings

Senator Kim Carr, Shadow Minister for Industry, Innovation Science and 
Research has just put out another media release on ALP’s position on 
research (see below).

There is scant detail so FASTS are not in a position to make any public 
statement.

As I have stated before, in my view ALP are very unlikely to increase the 
quantum of funding. Thus far their public statements have concentrated on;
·       Changes to some programs – notably CRCs and RTS;
·       Committing to reaching OECD averages on R&D spend by 2015 (well we 
must not
        rush these things ...)
·       Some form of new industry & science ministry;
·       Shake up of CSIRO priorities; and
·       Full time chief scientist.

I am interested in the proposal to bring ARC and NHMRC into one department. 
Apart from some modest administrative savings – maybe - I don’t know what 
this means as yet. Clearly, ALP want to put science back into industry 
department – and there are good reasons to do that as there are good 
reasons to leave it in DEST – but what of the other 100 odd R&D programs in 
other Departments such as AFFA - do they stay or go into a ‘super’ Ministry?

Until we see a detailed policy statement it is hard to make any assessment 
of ALP’s intentions.

Regards
Bradley Smith
Executive Director FASTS

Senator Kim Carr
Labor Senator for Victoria
Shadow Minister for Industry, Innovation, Science & Research
25/08/04
Time for major research rethink

Australia's research projects are in need of fundamental reform.

A Latham Labor Government will:

· Establish a new, substantial Collaborative Partnerships Program. We need 
to lift the performance of both the public and private sectors. 
Collaborative Partnerships will create opportunities for newer and regional 
universities to co-operate with more established universities and public 
research agencies, and for the public and private sectors to work better 
together.

· Cut red tape, bringing the ARC and NHMRC into one department. These 
bodies will remain independent, but will be serviced by a common 
secretariat with savings devoted to more public health and medical research.

· Rebuild our Cooperative Research Centres, putting public-interest 
research back in. Labor will reassess CRCs recently defunded by the Howard 
Government, like the environment CRCs in Nth QLD.

· Integrate research and industry policy, creating a new culture of 
collaboration between our universities, public research agencies and the 
private sector.

· National research priorities will be reassessed, involving open, public 
debate.

· Business commercialisation programs will turn good ideas into jobs in 
Australia.

Brendan Nelson's research networks announcement today highlights the 
contrast between Labor and Howard Government research policy.

The networks are a shallow example of policy making on the run, that will 
do very little to boost collaboration. They are far too little far too late.

Dr Nelson claims the networks will create a "new era of collaboration". 
However he leaves the CSIRO out. For example Dr Nelson's Secure Australia 
network ignores the civil defence work being undertaken by CSIRO.

A Latham Labor Government will gather our best minds around the big 
problems and questions facing all Australians. A Latham Labor Government 
will establish a target to lift Australia's national research and 
development spend to OECD averages by 2015.

27/08/04________________________________
ALP have just announced they will:

"establish a $35m Centre of Excellence in Tropical Research to secure the 
future of the two Australian icons, the Great Barrier Reef and North 
Queensland's tropical rainforest.

The future health of research into the reef and rainforest has been in 
doubt since the Howard Government defunded the research centres that 
maintained these fragile treasures earlier this year.

The Howard Government cut public interest research out of the grant 
criteria, leaving the reef and rainforest CRCs stranded.

Funding certainly is needed now for reef and rainforest research. Without 
Labor's new Centre of Excellence wind-up proceedings will commence before 
the end of the year for both centres. Already leading researchers are being 
lured overseas.

Labor is confident that today's announcement will guarantee the future of 
critical reef and rainforest research in Australia.

Labor will be providing $15 million for research into the rainforests and a 
further $20 million for reef research.

Labor will be seeking to ensure that the original public and private 
partners rejoin the projects, bringing with them more researchers and 
resources.

Under the scheme reef research will extend off the north-west coast, into 
the Timor and Arafura seas. Partners in the reef research bid included 
AIMS, the ANU, CSIRO, the National Oceans Office, Charles Darwin University 
and private sector partners."

Regards
Bradley Smith