The Prime Minister today announced the restructuring and retitling of his high level science advisory body. The Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council, as it will now be called, will be the Government's principal source of advice on issues in science, engineering and technology, and relevant aspects of education and training.
The Council will meet in full session, generally twice a year, to discuss major national issues in science, engineering and technology and their contribution to the economic and social development of Australia.
The new council will be chaired by myself and will retain the existing membership of the Prime Minister's Science and Engineering Council, which it will replace, supplemented by other key representatives of the business and scientific community.
Innovation will be a key driver of competitiveness in the future, and the title of the new council recognises that reality.
The emphasis of the new Council reinforces the increasingly important role the Government sees science and technology playing in Australia's future.
The new Council complements the government's plan for Australian industry as outlined in Investing for Growth.
To underpin its advisory role, the new Council will be given resources to examine Australia's science and engineering capabilities and the effectiveness of their organisation and utilisation. The non-ministerial
members will constitute a standing committee of the Council, and will oversee and contribute to studies and research aimed at improved understanding on these issues.
The standing committee will have the power to invite other experts to join in this work. It will take over major responsibilities of the Australian Science, Technology and Engineering Council (ASTEC).
New research work will be initiated by the Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council and carried out by its members. The government recognises the value of a strong source of independent advice on issues in science and technology, and the standing committee will retain ASTEC's capacity to undertake work on its own initiative, as well as work selected by the Government. The Government intends that, once existing work has been completed, ASTEC be wound up and its Act repealed.
The Government values ASTEC's current studies, and I have asked the members of ASTEC to complete these, and to present the results to the new council.
The Minister for Industry, Science and Tourism and the Chief Scientist will consult regularly with me on directions and agendas for the Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council. Other ministerial members of the Council will be invited to suggest work to be undertaken by the standing committee.
These decisions build upon recommendations made by the Chief Scientist, Professor John Stocker, in his report Priority Matters, and are a response to that part of Professor Stocker's report that dealt with cross-portfolio advisory arrangements. A response to the balance of Professor Stocker's recommendations will be made in the near future.
18 December 1997