The Australian Government's Innovation Report

More documents

Recommendations

Info

The next step is to quantify the catch of illegal fishermen through analysis of the product aboard boats seized by the Australian Customs Service and the Royal Australian Navy. AIMS scientists are using fin measurements and genetic analyses to identify the sizes and types of sharks being targeted. Research has also begun to analyse the catches of our own domestic shark fishery using a mark-recapture approach, funded by the ARC and Australian commercial shark fishermen. This work will look at catch rates to ensure that the domestic fishery does not exceed sustainable levels for shark populations. Documenting our biodiversity: The Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS) funds taxonomic and biogeographic research and training that leads to the scientific documentation of Australia’s biodiversity. This work is necessary for the conservation and sustainable use of Australia’s biodiversity. Illegal fishing is devastating shark populations in Australian waters. Photo credit: M. Cappo, AIMS Taxonomic investigations during the year included research into such diverse biota as zooxanthellae (microalgae), diatoms, dino flagellates, pompilidae (spider-hunting wasps) lace bugs, aphelenchida nematodes (an issue in quarantine), hylid frogs, orchids and smut fungi (causing diseases particularly to cereals and native grasses). Investigations have also gathered new information about bêche-de-mer, or sea cucumbers, the focus of a commercial industry in northern Australia. Research in these groups will contribute to future publications such as Fungi of Australia, Algae of Australia and Flora of Australia and online sources of information including Flora of Australia online and the Australian faunal directory. ABRS will also make much of this information available through its Australian Biodiversity Information Facility data portal. This portal provides real-time access to a wide range of biodiversity data held and maintained by individuals and institutions throughout Australia. Developing deep earth resources Centre of Excellence in Ore Deposits: Australia’s mining industry is facing a two-fold challenge — to find new ore deposits and to mine them with maximum efficiency and minimal impact on the environment. These challenges demand a new generation of ore deposit research tailored specifically for the Australian context. The ARC’s Centre of Excellence in Ore Deposits is a collaboration between universities and key companies in the mining industry. The centre is playing a leading role in mineral exploration-related research in new areas critical to the growth of the industry. Innovative fundamental and applied team-based research on where ore deposits occur, how they form and their deep earth signatures is expected to give Australia’s minerals industry a new scientific framework in which to search for ore. The centre is responding to this recognised need with a challenging programme of multidisciplinary research, supported by the latest technologies in ore deposit location, formation, discovery and recovery. Photo credits: ARC Centre of Excellence ore Deposits. Listening in: Kevin Davey installing accelerometer modules on a production-scale SAG mill. Photo credits: David Barker A network of marine sensors will be deployed around the Great Barrier Reef, allowing scientists to obtain real-time measurements of oceanic conditions. Photo credit: T. Simmonds, AIMS Chapter 3 - National research priorities 99
New techniques assist exploration companies: Techniques developed by CSIRO Petroleum are revealing in detail the migration of oil into reservoirs, helping exploration companies to better manage risk when drilling exploration wells for gas and oil. The fluid history analysis techniques are finding global acceptance as seen by their widespread use already in south-east Asia, licences sold to major international petroleum companies and the adoption of the analysis techniques by the major petroleum companies in Australia. The techniques reveal – in previously unseen detail – the geochemical development and movement history of hydrocarbons in sedimentary basins, from the early generation of hydrocarbons in deeply buried organic matter through to present day petroleum accumulations. The techniques were devised in response to discussions and suggestions from geoscientists and executives in oil exploration companies. The techniques analyse samples of oil preserved within mineral grains that are retained when the reservoir fluid changes to gas or water. These microscopic samples are not visible at the well site and are investigated in the laboratory using microscopy, spectroscopy and geochemistry. CSIRO is also researching ways to increase the level of detail that can be revealed using fluid history analysis methods, in particular to investigate features such as reservoir fluid properties and fluid compartments in reservoirs. Responding to climate change and variability Cutting edge technology for coral reef monitoring: Scientists around the world are keeping a close eye on corals with climate change predicted to heavily impact coral reefs. In March 2006, the AIMS hosted a workshop for the Coral Reef Environmental Observatory Network to facilitate the development and deployment of an environmental monitoring network for the Great Barrier Reef. The network is a global collaboration of scientists and engineers designing and building sensor networks for observing biophysical conditions in the tropical marine environment. One hundred sensors were primed and tested by AIMS before being deployed on the reef. In the first stage of the project, sensors will be installed across an area of 400 square kilometres off Townsville and will link into a global monitoring system. The sensors will transmit digital data from the reef back to AIMS. The network is also collaborating with international scientists to develop sensors in French Polynesia, Taiwan and the Florida Keys. Analysing Perth’s water options: Perth’s demand for water is growing at the same time that the climate appears to be getting hotter and drier, resulting in an urgent need to develop new water sources, increase recycling and better manage consumption. It is a significant scientific challenge – and one that has been taken up by the CSIRO through its Water for a Healthy Country Flagship. In collaboration with the Western Australian Government, the flagship has undertaken a wholeof-system review of existing and potential water resources for the region and also detailed future demand for drinking water and non-potable water. The research found that the diversity of water sources provides the region with a resilience that will help it to adapt to climate change. In addition, the study has found that the groundwater reserves in the Perth Basin represent a substantial water resource, which could help meet future water needs. Water for a Healthy Country team member, Simon Higginson, collects a sample of recycled water from the trial site before analysing in the laboratory. Photo credits: David McClenaghan The flagship has also trialled a system known as Managed Aquifer Recharge in which treated wastewater is returned to the underground aquifer where it is biologically cleaned by natural processes (essentially the absence of oxygen in an aquifer environment) and can subsequently be reused for irrigating parks and gardens and for horticulture. The research has shown that up to 100 gigalitres of water could be returned to Perth’s water supply in this way. 100 Backing Australia’s Ability
Page 1 and 2:
2006 07 The Australian Government
Page 3 and 4:
ISBN: 0 642 77 675x ISBN: 0 642 77
Page 5 and 6:
Enhancing industrial R&D 44 R&D Tax
Page 7 and 8:
PRIORITY 3 - FRONTIER TECHNOLOGIES
Page 9 and 10:
8 Backing Australia’s Ability
Page 11 and 12:
FRDC GDP GERD GGAP GOVERD GRDC HECS
Page 13 and 14:
Page 15 and 16:
The year also saw significant outco
Page 17 and 18:
The Australian Innovation Scorecard
Page 19 and 20:
Table 1: Australian Government supp
Page 21 and 22:
The Australian Government’s inves
Page 23 and 24:
Sustaining funding for government r
Page 25 and 26:
• Key to Australasian liverwort a
Page 27 and 28:
Australian Institute of Marine Scie
Page 29 and 30:
Coral gives new insight into changi
Page 31 and 32:
• As part of the joint Careers in
Page 33 and 34:
Developing meaningful, long-term co
Page 35 and 36:
Defence Science and Technology Orga
Page 37 and 38:
In 2005-06, Geoscience Australia st
Page 39 and 40:
The majority of research-related pu
Page 41 and 42:
The successful proposals represent
Page 43 and 44:
In addition to the continued large
Page 45 and 46:
Enhancing industrial R&D R&D Tax Co
Page 47 and 48:
• improving the management of nat
Page 49 and 50: Food Innovation Grants Programme As
Page 51 and 52: Most facilities provide training pr
Page 53 and 54: Total funding for the ISL programme
Page 55 and 56: Improving research quality and acce
Page 57 and 58: PART 2 - Accelerating the commercia
Page 59 and 60: Pooled Development Funds The Pooled
Page 61 and 62: In 2005-06, $12.83 million was inve
Page 63 and 64: Table 9: Sectoral distribution of C
Page 65 and 66: Building on ICT strengths Advanced
Page 67 and 68: Other achievements included: • ge
Page 69 and 70: Seafood Services Australia Ltd An I
Page 71 and 72: Interest in ITOL and e-business rem
Page 73 and 74: • provision of a business develop
Page 75 and 76: Building links to facilitate commer
Page 77 and 78: Taking a closer look at stem cells
Page 79 and 80: Biotechnology Australia Public Awar
Page 81 and 82: • commercialisation seminars for
Page 83 and 84: Advancing SET skills Audit of Scien
Page 85 and 86: National Youth Science Forum The Na
Page 87 and 88: Mathematics and informatics In 2005
Page 89 and 90: Higher Education Loan Programme The
Page 91 and 92: Fostering entrepreneurship and awar
Page 93 and 94: Skilled Immigration Migration conti
Page 95 and 96: ANSTO’s Dr Tony Taylor with the m
Page 97 and 98: The millimetre wave radar stope mon
Page 99: Sustainable use of Australia’s bi
Page 103 and 104: Pushing the heater bank used to run
Page 105 and 106: The diagnostic tool uses a unique a
Page 107 and 108: The researchers anticipate that the
Page 109 and 110: Advanced materials Quick dry merino
Page 111 and 112: Promoting an innovation culture and
Page 113 and 114: Dairy for Tomorrow launch in Tasman
Page 115 and 116: David Griffin (left) and Andreas Sc
Page 117 and 118: Scientists are searching for an eff
Page 119 and 120: Clearinghouse-type websites are cur
Page 121 and 122: 120 Backing Australia’s Ability
Page 123 and 124: The scorecard provides an overview
Page 125 and 126: Notes: 1. Australia’s ranking is
Page 127 and 128: FIGURE 1: Percentage change in the
Page 129 and 130: FIGURE 2: Australia’s innovation
Page 131 and 132: Compared to the 2004 scorecard Aust
Page 133 and 134: FIGURE 6: Number of scientific and
Page 135 and 136: FIGURE 9: Percentage of the workfor
Page 137 and 138: Knowledge Diffusion Investment in I
Page 139 and 140: FIGURE 16: Investment in new equipm
Page 141 and 142: Percentage of Turnover Attributed t
Page 143 and 144: Conclusions The Australian Innovati
Page 145 and 146: Commonwealth State and Territory Ad
Page 147 and 148: • promoting and marketing industr
Page 149 and 150: Australian Bureau of Statistics The
Page 151 and 152:
Informing the future House of Repre
Page 153 and 154:
Page 155 and 156:
Appendix 1: Major flows of funding
Page 157 and 158:
Appendix 3: Overview of Australia
Page 159 and 160:
Appendix 4: Backing Australia’s A
Page 161 and 162:
Appendix 5: Overview of R&D in regi
Page 163 and 164:
Appendix 7: National Research Prior
Page 165 and 166:
CRC for Spatial Information http://
Page 167 and 168:
Desert Knowledge CRC http://www.des
Page 169 and 170:
ARC Centre of Excellence in Vision
Page 171 and 172:
170 Backing Australia’s Ability B
show all

The Australian Government's Innovation Report

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?