360##1995 CS I RO AUSTRALIA LIBRARY CSIRO and science 1'; aced under themicrescepe Two reports dealing with As part of its centenary issues of science and celebrations this year, technology policy were BankWest in Perth is sponsor­ released in December last ing a CSIRO research project year, aimed at minimising algal Tile Senate Economics blooms on the Swan River. The Reference Committee Report $100,000 "Save our Swan" focused on one aspect of project will investigate the CSlRO's researcll- research nutrients dl:iven from the in support of the rural sector. river's sediments, eXIJlain how The other report, from the nitrogren and phoSllhol'us Industry Commission, was an inllueuce algal blooms, identify in-depth analysis of Australian the trigger mechanisms for science and technology. It algal blooms, and model covered not only CSIRO bnt nutrient fluxes and cycling. A also the important science and research lahoratory bargc technology efforts in the higher emblazoned with the "Save education and business sectors. our Swan" slogan, pictnred at In a staternent issued when right, will be hl Perth waters the reports were released, in Fehruary,a\ld lateI' at CSIRO welcomed the current ~resllw.ljter attention being given to science Bayjllelnmntand Heil'isson Islalld. and teehtwlogy in Australia as appropriate recognition of their importance to Australia's economic and other interests. The statement noted that countries all over the world are The lloardEvaluatiOl1 Green Paperprescntin ()1s$el" cOlI1panies are providing their grappling with science and Committee thatislool,ing resulls of theColTImittee's work cllstomers own assessmellts. technology issues, These issues at onr management struc­ will be cOlllpleted by the end of Institutes have gathered infor­ 3. International and national deserve the highest attention in tm'e and the way we do February and will be the basis for mation from existing documents arrangements Australia as well. broad consultation with staff. to assess customers' views of business has been continu­ Much material has been Tile Committee has operated our service and delivery. In The Industry ing its work over the gathered from CSJRO visit through four taskforces: some cases, further work has reports and from publications to summer holiday period. Commission Review 1. Government interaction been done (or is planned) to get demonstrate the vm;ety of The proposals in the draft Its terms of reference were Sandy Hollway, the Con­ more information. arrangements used by R&D report aim to enhance the spelt out in the Noyember venor, has been seeking input The assessments show agencies. The focus of this contribution of R&D to national CoResearch and on CSIRO's from departmental secretaries several common features across activity is to identify any welfare by more clearly defining World Wide Web Server - in on how CSJRO's activities the organisation. Two are that arrangements or best practices government's roles, improving short, they are to establish what relatc to Government require­ CSlRO's technical excellence is thaI might be considered funding processes, and making the Federal Government and ments, in particular looking at very highly regarded, but that appropriate for CSIRO. customers want from CSlRO research more responsive to CSIRO's accountability and its our ability to listen to the 4. Relationship between and how we can best supply users and community needs. effectiveness in serving customer is well below cus­ structural and behavioural what is needed. The key proposals include: Government policy objectives tomer expectations. The changes CSIRO: The Commission The Committee has met and national priorities, The taskforce has met the Australian Dr Bob Frater, the Convenor, calls for wider ownership of twice, on November 9 ane! federal bureaucrats have been Industrial Research Group and has worked with a group of CSIRO's research agenda and December 12, and has meetings very cooperative and interested the Business Council of participants in the Leadership for the Government to articulate scheduled for January 31 and in assisting CSlRO in this task. Australia, and individual Development Program to clearly its own R&D require­ February 20. develop methodologies to ments. The Commission said Four Chiefs were invitee! to address this issue. Hc has CSIRO's principal role is to make presentations to the Comments invited prepared a discussion paper on undertake research that has December meeting - Ron which he has been seeking All CSIRO Divisions have listen, which, together with direct value to industry and the Sandlands of Mathematics and comment from all staff through been invited to comment on another similar one covering a community but lacks sufficient Statistics (then Chair of the Chiefs and by electronic means a set of draft working wider range of issues, has private returns to be performed College of Chiefs), Phil on the discussion board "csiro­ docnments by Dr Bob Frater, produced some hot debate or sponsored by firms ("public Jennings of Tropical Animal listen". The latter is a new Director of the Iustitute of' among the 250 or so registered good" research). The results of Production, Chlis Mallett of venture in interm-l1 communica­ Information Science and users. its research should be widely Food Science and Technology, tion for CSIRO, and is provok­ Engiueering, who leads one So far, the main participants disseminated. and Graeme Pearman of ing some lively discussions of the Task Forces for the seem to be from the animal and Atmospheric Research, among stafr. This does not preclude Board's evaluation. plant institutes, with several CSlRO continuing to do some The records of the November Bob has also invited locked in battle (not to the • The next issue of CoRese",.ch contract research for private and December meetings were comments via an electronic death) with a few corporate will summarise the Committee's firms, provided that it is priced distributed to staff through bulletin board called csiro- managers. Green Paper and early reactions cOlltilluedpage 8 Directors ane! Chiefs. ane! a to it. The norm;a.. I!r:~c;s.:~~~~hj~~tt~ Letters to the ... f. SCl'Ullit PIOcess of precess'0 '. ~;:~~f:senate Editor , Oll"lllttee olE aper./or the ·t·, ICSfRO J' M.' !'alualio 0./ n his is a small footnote to Structure, ,,~~1~g~II.,enrCll7d SCrunIy I the CuResearch. November ", JiISlzII " A ,emsfor CSI/? ," rJrrange_ T ••• and from ;1~1z GOJJe'7Zl1le/~'~' 1994 report concerning the Sir IrlteraCfioll Ian McLennan Award to Dr the Editor From time to time the Evaluation Committee, !/fice olGo!'er. .' CSf/?O , '. D~. llflle. John Possingham. Dear Readers, language is enriched by and supplIes one of Its IL f(ember 12, 1994IU Buszness, When Dr Possingham key tasks, namely to Coresearch has moved to the entry of a new word arranged to obtain a mechanical Melbournc, and I haven't. devise a process where- that sums up ped'ectly a grape-harvester from Cornell I've been Editor for five by the objectives of the organ­ situation that would University, tile only transport to years now, and they have isation can be clearly aligned otherwise demand pages of Australia was as deck cargo. As been memorably interesting with thosc of government. this would have exposed the years. I've tricd to inform text. Dr Heyde's word The Industry Commission harvester to thc possibility of and amuse - with varying pmcessor has defined our went on to recommend that damage, the Scientific Oflice in success. On the score present position with CSIRO's funding be moved 01' thc Australian Embassy in amusing, particularly, I've elegant precision: CSIRO over time from appropriation to Washington, DC, was contacted. is being scruned! contracted research. spent a lot of time in watcr An approach was made to tlIe hot enough to hurt, but Il'eel The Industry Commission has This recalls the developments Office of the Air Attache, in very sad at leaving. just produced its draft report on in British science policy during particular to Fl. Lt. Rollo R&D, and it's a report that the late 70s, at which time a I thank you all for reading Teape-Davis RAAF,. who was in seems to me to offer a good start­ strong belief in the application what I've put out over the charge of air transport from the years, whether I'or pleasure ing point for the developmcnt of so-called free-market mech­ US to Australia. Rollo agreed to or duty, whether with of a national science policy. anisms to all areas of govern­ the loading of the harvester on a I am very pleased that the Ind­ ment endeavour was extended irritation, iuterest or delight. cargo-carrying aircraft in view ustry Commission lUIS recog­ to publicly funded science. I have certainly had much of the national importance of nised in the earlier chapters of However, these policy delight in the making of it. research into mechanical grape­ its report that economic growth changes, which followed a re­ I've loved taking bad pictures harvesting! The machine arrived for it, drawing rather strained is linked to innovation, and that port by Lord Rothschild, led to in Australia in good condition cartoons for it and torturing innovation itself is embedded in instability and uncertainty, and time as the Industry Commission and in record time! a cultll1'e of R&D, to widespread criticism that the my brain for misleadingly Clyde Garrow The Commissioners also narrow vision of government was gathering its information. interesting headings. Former Scientific Attache found that the national govern­ departments made it difficult This took the form of a Senate Andl do heartily wish the Inquiry into rural research. Australian Embassy new Editor the best of ment has a funding obligation, for them to appreciate "truly The final report lacked any Washington, DC muJticulturalluck with a particularly to provide rcsearch pioneering original ventures..