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CSIRO Annual Report 2004-05 CSIRO Annual ReportAnnual 2004–05 Annual Report 2004–05 General Enquiries Tel: 1300 363 400 International: +61 3 9545 2176 Email : [email protected] Web: www.csiro.au www.csiro.au Letter of transmittal The Hon Dr Brendan Nelson MP Minister for Education, Science and Training Parliament House CANBERRA ACT 2600 We have pleasure in submitting to you, for presentation to Parliament, the fifty-seventh Annual Report of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. This report has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Science and Industry Research Act 1949 and in accordance with section 9 of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 (CAC Act). CSIRO – the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation – is one of the largest and most diverse scientific organisations in the world. It has 6 576 staff located across 57 sites Under section 9 of the CAC Act, CSIRO Board members are responsible for producing an throughout Australia and overseas. annual report in accordance with the rules laid down in Schedule 1 of this Act, including a ‘Report of Operations’ prepared in accordance with the Finance Minister’s Orders. CSIRO is an independent statutory authority constituted and operating under the provisions of the Science and Industry Research Act 1949 and the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997. This report presents fairly the information required by the Minister for Finance and Administration as set out in the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies (Report of Operations) Orders 2005. Our purpose states: The report has been approved for presentation to you, signed this 24th day of August 2005 in By igniting the creative spirit of our people, we deliver great science and innovative solutions for accordance with a resolution of the Board members. industry, society and the environment. The report includes an appendix comprising a report from the Chief Executive of CSIRO, as trustee CSIRO Head Office of the Science and Industry Endowment Fund established under the Science and Industry Endowment Limestone Avenue Act 1926, on the operations of the Fund together with a report by the Auditor-General on the Campbell ACT 2612 accounts of the Fund. PO Box 225 Dickson ACT 2602 We commend the Organisation’s achievements to you. Tel: 1300 363 400 Awards CSIRO received a Silver Award at the Australasian Reporting Awards and a Bronze Award from the Institute of Public Administration Australia for the CSIRO Annual Report 2003–04. Catherine B Livingstone Geoff G Garrett Chairman of the Board Chief Executive Design and artwork by Spectrum Graphics Printed in Australia by National Capital Printing October 2005 ISSN 1030-4215 Electronic version available at: http://www.csiro.au/annualreport0405 © Commonwealth of Australia 2005 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Commonwealth. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Commonwealth Copyright Administration, Intellectual Property Branch, Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, GPO Box 2154, Canberra ACT 2601 or posted at: http://www.dcita.gov.au/cca. i CSIRO Annual Report 2004–05 Contents Page Letter of transmittal i Contents ii About CSIRO 1 Foreword by the Chairman and Chief Executive 3 SECTION 1: PERFORMANCE Some key achievements 2004–05 8 Analysing health data confidentially 8 Searching for life beyond our solar system 9 New materials for the 21st century 10 CSIRO’s total wellbeing diet 11 The UltraBattery 12 New remote controlled mining methods 13 Identifying mental illnesses earlier 14 CSIRO vaccine protects Australia’s cattle 15 Evidence of change in the Southern Ocean 16 Healthy new future for omega-3 grains 17 Crops to help fight against acidic soil 18 More vibrant colours for wool clothing 19 Painless genetics with morphine-free poppy 20 Termites feed through good vibrations 21 New contact lens for healthier eyes 22 The year in summary – and looking ahead 23 Delivering impact from our science 28 CSIRO’s outcome and outputs framework 28 – Information technology, manufacturing and services 30 – Sustainable minerals and energy 40 – Environment and natural resources 48 – Agribusiness and health 60 The year in review: Performance against strategic objectives 67 Focusing our science investment 67 Delivering world-class science 74 Partnering for community impact 80 Serving as a catalyst for industry innovation 85 CSIRO Annual Report 2004–05 ii Contents Building One-CSIRO capability and commitment 90 Securing a financial foundation for growth 93 Education and outreach 97 Awards and honours 101 SECTION 2: GOVERNANCE CSIRO Governance Framework Governing legislation, functions and powers 114,115 Responsible Minister 115 CSIRO Board 117 Organisational chart 121 CSIRO policies 122 Service charter 125 Administrative law 127 Occupational health and safety 128 Commonwealth disability strategy reporting 135 Environmental management, energy and heritage reporting 136 SECTION 3: FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 143 SECTION 4: APPENDIXES Staff demographics 216 CSIRO locations 217 CSIRO Alumni 218 National Research Priority Areas and Priority Goals 219 Sector Advisory Councils and Flagship Advisory Committees 221 Cooperative Research Centres 228 Consultancy services 231 Science and Industry Endowment Fund Report 237 INDEXES Acronyms 248 Glossary 250 Index 252 Compliance index 264 iii CSIRO Annual Report 2004–05 About CSIRO Our history knowledge-based services to governments and businesses. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) was established in 1926 with its primary research devoted towards Research and outputs agriculture. In the late 1930s this was CSIRO ranks in the top one per cent of extended to include industrial research. world scientific institutions in 12 of 22 research fields (based on the Institute for In 1949, the CSIR was reconstituted as CSIRO, Scientific Information data on total citations and gradually expanded its activities so that of publications, as at 30 June 2005) its research was related to almost every field of primary, secondary and tertiary industry. CSIRO produced over 4 000 scientific publications in 2004, and also transfers Today, CSIRO is a trusted source for creative know-how through over 8 000 client ideas and practical technologies. It seeks to be reports and around 240 media releases a valuable partner with strong international annually, plus secondments, industry relationships. workshops, seminars and specialist publications Our purpose CSIRO leads six National Research Flagships that bring focus and scale to research By igniting the creative spirit of our people, we addressing some of Australia’s most important deliver great science and innovative solutions and complex challenges and opportunities for industry, society and the environment. CSIRO is the largest single participant in the CSIRO is a research enterprise dedicated Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) Program to delivering benefits to industry and the (participating in 49 of the 69 centres, as at community through world-class science. 30 June 2005) What we do worldwide, CSIRO is involved in over 750 current or recently completed research CSIRO carries out scientific research in areas activities, working with leading scientific including energy, information technology, organisations and firms in the United States, health, minerals, agriculture, the environment Japan and Europe, and with developing and natural resources. Our research delivers: countries, especially in Asia innovative technologies to improve the CSIRO offers more than 50 specialised competitiveness of existing industries technical and analytical services. These include analyses for air pollutants and technologies to transform or create satellite imaging of natural resources new markets for Australian industry through to fire testing of materials and integrated solutions to meet diagnosis of exotic animal diseases major national challenges CSIRO is Australia’s leading patenting advice, information and research to enterprise, holding over 3 900 granted meet specific community needs or pending patents CSIRO Annual Report 2004–05 1 over 90 spin-off companies are based and other services. This revenue was on CSIRO generated intellectual derived from the Australian private sector, property and expertise. Federal and State governments, the Rural Industry R&D Corporations and National facilities international companies and organisations. CSIRO hosts three major National Research Facilities (the Australian Animal Health Science communication Laboratory, the Australia Telescope, the and education Oceanographic Research Vessel Southern stories involving CSIRO science are reported Surveyor) and over 30 other research in around 12 000 news or feature items facilities such as the Riverside Life Sciences every year in print, radio and television and Centre, CSIRO Discovery centre and the involve Australian and international media Australian Resources Research Centre CSIRO Enquiries, our central telephone and CSIRO manages 11 national reference email contact point, handles over 35 000 collections including: the Australian National enquiries a year (1300 363 400, Fish Collection, the Australian National [email protected]) Insect Collection, the Australian National CSIRO Education involves over 700 000 Herbarium, the Australian National Wildlife students, parents and teachers each year Collection, the National Tree
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