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PRIME MINISTER
STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P J KEATING MP
MEETING OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
COUNCIL At today's meeting of my Science and Engineering Council, Profesor Fiona
Stanley, a member of Council and head of the Institute of Child Health
Rdsea:' ch in Perth, presented a report entitled Research fo?-a7Re-athy Society.
Tfe-report wa . s prepared by an independent working party of which Prdfedsor
Stanley was convenor.
The key message of this report is that health and medical research have a
great impact on the health and quality of life of all Australians. It focuses on
the way health and medical research feeds into clinical practice and the
delivery of health services, reducihg the rates of preventable illness and
premature death, and improving the cost-effectiveness and equity of supply of
services. The report presents a number of case studies to illustrate its arguments. For
example, it points to the success of Australian scientists in identifying the link
between peptic ulcers and the bacterium Helicobacter pylor. It now appears
likely that 80-90% of peptic ulcers can be cured with two weeks of antibiotic
treatment. A particular emphasis is the need for more private sector funding for health
and medical research. The report notes that backing by philanthropic and
industry sources on the major scale common in other countries is still rare in
Australia. The working party has identified a number of important issues. I have asked
my colleague the Minister for Human Services and Health, Dr Lawrence, to
respond to its recommendations.
A second item concerned high performance computing and communications
( HPCC).
HPCC is an exciting technology, and a powerful tool for tackling a vaniety of
industry and other problems, such as designing complex engineering
components, or modelling the greenhouse effect. It comprises the ' top end' of
computing power and performance, ranging from high performance
workstations to the latest and most powerful supercomputers.
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An independent working party chaired by Dr John O'Callaghan, Chief of the
Division of Information Technology in CSIRO, drew the Council's attention to
the need for an Action Plan to develop HPCC in Australia. Their report
identified a need to develop internationally competitive HPCC capability in
Australia. It also noted that industry has been very slow in taking up the
technology and realising the considerable benefits it offers.
The Government wants to encourage inoustry to make the most of the
increased competitiveness and Cost savings that can be gained from the
application of HPCC. It already has in place a number of strategies for
supporting HPCC technologies. These include funding through the Australian
Research Council, through Cooperative Research Centres, and through the
National Research Facilities Program announced in Working Nation.
I have asked the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, Senator Cook,
and the Minister for Employment, Education and Training, Mr Crean. to advise
me on the future development of HPCC capability in Australia.
The Council meeting also indluded an Innovation Forum, chaired by the
Minister for Industry Science and Technology and Ministbr Assisting for
Science, Senator Peter Cook.
This forum involved a number of short presentations from industry and other
leaders, on their expeniences of the innovation process. Topics addressed
included the innovation in the mining industry, in universities, in technology
based companies, and the global environment for innovation.
The session was part of the Government's consultation process in the lead up
to the 1995 Statement on Innovation.
The Council is a forum which allows me and other Ministers with responsibility
for science and technology to meet leaders of industry and members of the
scientific community. It meets twice a year.
Today's discussions at the Council emphasised its important role in the
science and technology consultation process, and in bringing in science,
engineering and technology matters to the attention of Government.
CANBERRA 9 December 1994 39 Ili