Backing Australia's Ability
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Backing Australia's Ability was a five year innovation plan launched in January 2001 by Prime Minister John Howard.[1][2]
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[edit] Previous policy
- Investing for Growth, December 1997 [1] (ISBN 0-642-28095-9) increased support for business innovation by providing $1.26 billion over the four years from 1998-99, including additional funding for R&D grants, venture capital and technology diffusion.
- Knowledge and Innovation, December 1999 [2] announced a new policy and funding framework for higher education research and research training.
[edit] Science and Innovation Committee
The Science and Innovation Committee (SIC), originally known as the Ministerial Committee to Oversight Implementation of Backing Australia's Ability (MCOIBAA), is a sub-committee of Cabinet established as part of the initiative to oversee the implementation of Backing Australia's Ability. [3][4] It is composed of [5]:
- Prime Minister of Australia, chairman
- Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources, Ian Macfarlane
- Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Richard Alston followed by Helen Coonan since July 2004
- Minister for Education, Science and Training, Brendan Nelson followed by Julie Bishop since January 2006
- Minister for Finance and Administration, Nick Minchin
[edit] An Innovation Action Plan for the Future
The initiative set aside AUD 2.9 billion over five years 2001-02 to 2005-06, overseen by a Science and Innovation Ministerial Council, chaired by the Prime Minister and advised by the Chief Scientist.[6]
The objectives were[1]:
- an additional $736 million for Australian Research Council competitive grants, doubling funding by 2005-06
- an additional $583 million for research infrastructure
- an additional $176 million for world class centres of excellence in Information and Communications Technology and biotechnology
- providing $155 million to support investments in major national research facilities
- $535 million over five years for the R&D Start Program
- reforming the R&D tax concession
- a premium rate of 175 per cent for additional R&D activity
- a tax rebate for small companies
- an additional $227 million for the Cooperative Research Centres Program, and encouraging greater access by small and medium enterprises
- an additional $151 million to universities, to create 2000 additional university places each year, with priority given to ICT, mathematics and science – to be backed by adjustments to existing immigration arrangements to attract more migrants with ICT skills
- $130 million to foster scientific, mathematical and technological skills and innovation in government schools in those States where the Enrolment Benchmark Adjustment (EBA) is triggered.
- $246 million for a new Systemic Infrastructure Initiative, to upgrade the basic infrastructure of universities, such as scientific and research equipment, libraries and laboratory facilities
[edit] Building our Future through Science and Innovation
On May 4, 2004 the Prime Minister announced a second plan. [7]
- $1 billion for a new Commercial Ready progamme
- $542 million for a new National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy
- an additional $305 million for CSIRO National Research Flagships
- an additional $200 million for National Health and Medical Research Council to assist independent medical research institutions
- an additional $100 million or the Commercialising Emerging Technologies (COMET) programme
- $38.8 million for a new Maths, Science and Innovation Teaching initiative that will involve research bodies and undergraduates in primary and secondary school classes
- $7.2 million to co-ordinate and focus research in support of Australia's counter-terrorism needs
[edit] References
- ^ a b Commonwealth of Australia (January 2001). Backing Australia's Ability: An Innovation Action Plan for the Future. ISBN 0-642-72133-5, ISR 2000/223.
- ^ Innovation Plan. ABC Radio National broadcast (February 3, 2001). Retrieved on 2007-02-02.
- ^ Transcript of the Prime Minister The Hon. John Howard MP, Federation address and launch of the 'Backing Australia's Ability', Australian Technology Park Centre, Sydney (January 29, 2001). Retrieved on 2007-02-07.
- ^ Public-Private Partnerships for Research and Innovation: An evaluation off the Australian Experience. OECD. Retrieved on 2007-02-07.
- ^ Science and Innovation Committee. Retrieved on 2007-02-07.
- ^ Backing Australia's Ability - An Innovation Action Plan for the Future 2001. Press Release, Australian Government. Retrieved on 2007-02-02.
- ^ a b Backing Australia's Ability, Building our future through science and innovation. Press Release, Australian Government (May 4, 2004). Retrieved on 2007-02-02.
- ^ "Science gets $5.3b new spending", The Age, May 6, 2004. Retrieved on 2007-02-02.
- ^ Jason Koutsoukis. "Flak for PM's innovation policy", The Age, May 7, 2004. Retrieved on 2007-02-02.
