Australia Also Seeks Industrial Innovation for Prosperity
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_N_ATU__ RE__ v_o_L_~_J_U __ M_A_Y_I~ __ J ______________________________ ,NEVVS-----------------------------------------------2-77 ANZAAS Congress patents on which technological innovation is based. The isolation of scientific institutions from industry, little in-house Australia also seeks industrial research and development in industry (much of it foreign-owned) and cuts in funds for universities and for overseas innovation for prosperity contacts by scientists were cited by Pro Perth, Western Australia (including not only Jaw and economics but fessor Slatyer as priorities for correction. A NEW broom began to sweep the floor of musicology and women's studies) provided One of the few speakers also to reflect Australian science at Australia's largest the great majority of the papers in the 34 the potential economic influences of a shift regular academic gathering here from 16 to specialized sections. In science proper, towards new technology was Dr Ken 20 May- but only gently. because presentation of a paper at an McCracken, chief of the Commonwealth About 3,500 delegates attended the 33rd ANZAAS congress seldom leads to formal Scientific and Industrial Research congress of the Australian and New publication, participation and originality Organization's Division of Mineral Zealand Association for the Advancement are inhibited, while the fact that ANZAAS Physics. He came down solidly in favour ofScience(ANZAAS), held in the spacious papers are not refereed reduces their pro of a "Buy Australian" policy as the key green environs of the University of fessional value. element in an array of support mechanisms Western Australia, the Western Australian Nonetheless, ANZAAS is not dying. Institute of Technology and Murdoch Uni Indeed, the organizers were exceptionally versity. The balmy autumn weather may successful in attracting funds to bring 50 have tranquillized them into placid accept speakers of substance from overseas (more ance of the offerings of nearly a thousand than at any previous congress) and in per papers and symposia, but there were only a suading hundreds of delegates to travel few debates and, as usual, ANZAAS ended from the eastern states. without a sense of progress in any The new broom this year was that of direction. encouraging technological innovation and Indeed, the sensation of this year's development. The sweepers were led by ANZAAS had nothing to do with science Professor Ralph Slatyer, president of the but with crime. Mr Douglas Meagher, congress, who is the new chairman of the senior counsel assisting the Royal Australian Science and Technology Commission on the activities of the Council (having been appointed before the Federated Ship Painters and Dockers Malcolm Fraser government was Union, issued at the very start of the con defeated). A biologist at the Australian gress a 213-page collection of revelations of National University and a former the extent of organized crime throughout Australian ambassador to UNESCO, he Australia, which at least allowed has a pivotal role in advising the Prime newspapers to add pointers to "other Minister on priorities for science and Ralph Slatyer . .. urging more technological ANZAAS stories" otherwise buried on technology, including the programmes innovation inside pages. submitted by Mr Jones's own department. for selected industries, such as Between the planning of this congress In what would have been music to Mr communications, small computers, over a year ago and last week, the economic Jones's distant ear, Professor Slatyer nucleonics, word processing and electronic and political climate of Australia had urged immediate action to improve Aus mail. Dr McCracken estimated a total changed dramatically. The congress theme tralia's economic performance and expenditure within Australia after three of "resources and responsibility" was industrial competitiveness through acceler years of about A$300 million per annum more relevant to the erstwhile boom in ated technological innovation. He pitched and about 3,000 man-years of employ exports of Australia's natural resources his appeal for a major investment in ment, before taking multiplier effects than to the current period of recession. research and education in terms of its into account. The new Labor Government has in potential effect on economic recovery and On Australian physics, formerly an area herited from its Conservative predecessor creation of jobs- a note tuned also to the of notable innovation as in radio science, an inflation rate of more than 11 per cent ear of Prime Minister Bob Hawke, whose McCracken urged his fellows to speak up and an officially acknowledged un depth of interest in science and technology about the way government should help to employment rate of 9 per cent. The reali has yet to be publicly revealed. turn the results of research into profit- or zation that economic recovery will be slow Professor Slatyer illustrated his concern else they would find that funds for their and painful is spreading, tempering ex about Australia's capacity to lift itself out research would dry up. pectations that the Labor election victory of recession by pointing out that less than Although the communication of science would lead to an early expansion of federal 40 per cent of young Australians are en to the public, one of the aims of every support for science. rolled full-time in the final years of ANZAAS congress, was notable this year Political priorities were highlighted by secondary school, compared with more principally for its failure, the topic was the failure of Mr Barry Jones, the new than 80 per cent in the United States and examined in a special symposium. A survey Minister for Science and Technology, to Japan. Further, since 1976, the numbers of of 31 editors of major newspapers, tele attend the ANZAAS meeting, a gathering students proceeding to full-time higher vision and radio news services throughout normally embraced by the holder of his education have declined by 18 per cent, Australia has revealed a generally un portfolio. Mr Jones was caught up in the while on a per capita basis Australia has flattering image of scientists among these crucial first parliamentary session of the only about one-third as many engineers as agenda-setters. The number of full-time new government, which brought down a Japan (24 as against 70 per 10,000 of science reporters in the Australian com cost-cutting mini-budget while the population). mercial media can be counted on one hand. ANZAAS meeting was in progress. Mr Slatyer also asserted that Australian There appeared to be agreement among Jones did take part, however, in one science "appears to be as good as anywhere those at this symposium that unless a better symposium by remote electronic means. in the world" but that while Australian informed, more public profile for science ANZAAS becomes more and more a scientists produce some 2 per cent of the and technology can be generated, the road non-scientific beast wearing the clothes of world's scientific knowledge, they are to government-inspired initiatives in the science. The social sciences and humanities responsible for only 0. 7 per cent of world future will be rocky indeed. Peter Pockley 002~ - 0~36/~3 / 210277-02$01.00 Cl 1983 Macmillan Journals l.td .