PRtJ ANS IE
INDEPENDENT INQUIRY INTO C. S. I. R. O.
The Government has decided to appoint an independent Committee
of Inquiry to review the objectives, structure and programmes
of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.
over the last fifty years, C. S. I. R. O. has earned a high reputation
within Australia and overseas. This has been achieved by
conducting research programmes which have been predominantly of
high quality and sound practicality.
During these years, the executive and staff of C. S. I. R. O. have
made significant contributions to fundamental and applied science
and sought to link the two together.
They have helped us to increase our knowledge of the physical
and biological environment through which we move and on which we
depend. They have'developed new technologies through the application of
scientific principle to everyday problems.
The last major review of C. S. I. R. O. was held almost thirty years
go in 1948-49. Since then, science has become increasingly
diversified and the Government has come to support science and
technology in a multiplicity of ways.
Inevitably, the role of C. S. I. R. O. has changed. It is appropriate
at this time to engage in a rethinking of the objectives of C. S. I. R. O.
for the future' to conduct an independent examination of the ways
in which the Organisation's vigor, its ethos, and its capacity to
deal with -the challenge of the future can be sustained.
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The Chairman of the Committee of Inquiry is Professor A. J. Birch,
Professor of Organic Chemistry at the Australian
National University. Professor Bir-. ch was the foundation dean of
the Research School of Chemistry at A. N. U. The other members of
the Committee are Sir Cecil Looker, a former President of the
Australian Associated Stock Exchanges he has also held the
position of Chairman of the 1I1elbourne Stock Exchange and Director
of the Papua New Guinea Development Bank and Mr. R. T. Madigan, O. B. E
Chairman of Hammersley Holdings Limited and of I. O. L. Petroleum Ltd.
He is also a Director of C. R. A. Limited, and R. T. Z. Limited.
The Committee of Inquiry shall examine, and report and make
I recommendations on:'
1. the objectives of the organisation and the relevance to the
present and future requirements of Australia of its functions
1 as set out in the Science and Industry Research Act ( 1949)
2. the extent to which the current research programme objectives
and the emphasis given them accord with the objectives
recommended for the organisation
3. existing arrangements and procedures for meeting recommended
objectives and discharging recommended functions, with
particular emphasis on:-
the size and diversity of the organisation, its
organisational and management structure, policies
for the employment of staff, and the role of
consultative and advisory machinery.
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( ii) the relationship of the organisation with Government agencies,
industry, tertiary institutions, research institutes, and
with users of research results.
( iii) the methods for selecting, reviewing, reporting on, and
re-ordering research programmes, including the effect of
the differing sources of funds.
( iv) the assessment of results achieved in the light of resources
employed, the processes involved in the implementation of research
results, and
( vi) the role of the organisation in Australia's international
scientific relationships.
4. the extent to which and the means by which programmes of the
organisation could attract revenue both to support the conduct
of ongoing or intended research and also in return for results
achieved in research.