The Australian Government's Innovation Report
The Australian Government's Innovation Report
The Australian Government's Innovation Report
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY<br />
With total funding of $8.3 billion over the 10 year period from 2001-02 to 2010-11, the Backing Australia’s<br />
Ability initiative is the largest and most comprehensive single set of programmes and measures put in place<br />
by an <strong>Australian</strong> Government in support of science and innovation. It targets three key elements of the<br />
innovation system: strengthening our ability to generate ideas and undertake research, accelerating the<br />
commercial application of ideas, and developing and retaining <strong>Australian</strong> skills.<br />
<strong>The</strong> 2006-07 <strong>Innovation</strong> <strong>Report</strong> is the sixth <strong>Innovation</strong> <strong>Report</strong> since the announcement of Backing Australia’s<br />
Ability. It follows the final year of funding under the initial Backing Australia’s Ability – An <strong>Innovation</strong> Action Plan<br />
for the Future (2001) package. Support for new measures, as well as a wide range of existing programmes, is<br />
now being delivered under Backing Australia’s Ability – Building our Future through Science and <strong>Innovation</strong> (2004).<br />
<strong>The</strong> Backing Australia’s Ability themes continue to remain a relevant and unifying feature of the <strong>Australian</strong><br />
Government’s investment in science and innovation. This report provides an opportunity to reflect on the<br />
considerable achievements of <strong>Australian</strong> Government departments and agencies against these themes over<br />
2005-06, along with their progress in addressing broader national goals through their implementation of the<br />
National Research Priorities.<br />
<strong>The</strong> report additionally presents the findings of the third <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Innovation</strong> Scorecard, comparing<br />
Australia’s innovation performance to that of other countries in the OECD. It thus provides a broader global<br />
context for Australia’s innovation activities and a means of tracking our progress in an increasingly competitive<br />
global economy.<br />
Finally, the report outlines the important role that key institutions and strategic planning processes are playing<br />
in informing the future of <strong>Australian</strong> science and innovation and ensuring that Australia remains well-placed<br />
to reap the rewards of its investments in years to come.<br />
Initiatives for a dynamic national innovation system<br />
Strengthening our ability to generate ideas and undertake research<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> Government agencies reported considerable progress in 2005-06 in achieving research and<br />
development (R&D) outcomes consistent with their missions. Highlights included:<br />
• <strong>The</strong> Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) reported five new spinoff<br />
companies formed during the year, taking the market value of its spin-off portfolio to record levels,<br />
and generated record revenues ($37.1 million) from its intellectual property assets. CSIRO also reported<br />
an ongoing focus on building long-term collaborative partnerships with industry, government agencies<br />
and universities and developing critical mass in key areas through its National Research Flagships.<br />
• <strong>The</strong> Defence Science and Technology Organisation marketed over 40 technologies during 2005-06. It<br />
additionally entered into two new alliance agreements with industry, placed 78 research agreements and<br />
entered into 12 collaborative arrangements across a wide range of disciplines.<br />
• <strong>The</strong> <strong>Australian</strong> Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation completed construction and operation<br />
approval of the new OPAL reactor. <strong>The</strong> facility will commence routine operation in early 2007 and,<br />
with world-class instrumentation, will be a leading regional centre for researchers in Australia and<br />
internationally to work and collaborate in fields such as biology, materials science and food science.<br />
Executive Summary 13