The Australian Government's Innovation Report

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Genetic evaluation to improve the Australian flock. Photo credits: DAFF Ultrasonic void detector. Photo credit: Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Corporation Pioneering timber research adapts aerospace technology: Adapting aerospace technology for use in timber quality control has been the focus of a research project between the Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Corporation and Ensis, Australasia’s leading supplier of research and development services to the forestry sector. The pioneer study on the development of non-destructive evaluation techniques technologies for use in the hardwood sawmilling industry assessed the technologies as a tool for improving hardwood processing. It also looked to identify the most suitable commercial equipment for detecting internal faults, known as checks, in dried hardwood boards – a common and costly problem. In a groundbreaking move that has the potential to revolutionise hardwood timber processing, Neville Smith Timber – Integrated Tree Cropping Limited’s processing division and Australia’s largest hardwood timber processor – has adapted ultrasonic void detection for use at its Heyfield sawmill. Ultrasonic void detection enables processors to see inside solid timber that passes through the mill and to separate timber affected by internal checks from higher quality material instead of cabinetmakers or joiners finding them in further processing stages – something that has inhibited confidence in hardwood species. This ensures higher quality control standards and in future will allow the effects of different treatments to be measured to reduce internal checking. Researchers also found that pre-sorting logs on the basis of acoustic wave velocity improved the ability to identify material prone to internal checking, advising that acoustic wave velocity measurements with existing technology could be applied immediately. The project is consistent with industry and government priorities to introduce and encourage the adoption of frontier technologies, to improve processing, to develop competitiveness through a whole-of-industry approach, and to maintain and boost confidence in the integrity of Australian forest products. Its success represents a significant return on investment in Australian timber research and development. Chapter 3 - National research priorities 111
Dairy for Tomorrow launch in Tasmania. Photo credits: Dairy Australia Dairying for Tomorrow: In March 2002, the Australian dairy industry launched a national strategy called Dairying for Tomorrow to sustain its natural resources. That programme is now being evaluated to ensure it is meeting the needs of the farmers, regions, industry and the Australian Government, and is being expanded to cement links with other land managers. Dairy farmers throughout Australia have participated in the project and demonstrated their ongoing commitment to the environment by: • making the best use of their natural resources; • protecting their farm environment; • working with practical on-farm environmental tools; and • achieving recognition for environmental care. The Dairy Australia programme received an environmental honour as a finalist in the 2004 Banksia awards. The award was presented for achievement and leadership in communication by raising public awareness and understanding of environmental issues and innovations. The Australian Government recently approved and funded proposals between Dairy Australia and the Australian Dairy Farmers to significantly improve the linkage between the dairy industry and other natural resource stakeholders and to further develop resource management programmes to help farmers make changes on the ground. The National Landcare Programme, Sustainable Industries Initiative, is providing $345 000 a year for the next three years to support a network involving each of the major dairying regions. The Natural Heritage Trust, Industry Pathways to Environmental Management Systems, is providing another $715 000 in the next three years for the development and delivery of better practice programmes. The network will help the dairy industry align its programmes with those of natural resource and catchment managers and will complement the better practice programmes to help dairy farmers continue to improve their environmental management. 112 Backing Australia’s Ability
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2006 07 The Australian Government
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ISBN: 0 642 77 675x ISBN: 0 642 77
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Enhancing industrial R&D 44 R&D Tax
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PRIORITY 3 - FRONTIER TECHNOLOGIES
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8 Backing Australia’s Ability
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FRDC GDP GERD GGAP GOVERD GRDC HECS
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12 Backing Australia’s Ability
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The year also saw significant outco
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The Australian Innovation Scorecard
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Table 1: Australian Government supp
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The Australian Government’s inves
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Sustaining funding for government r
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• Key to Australasian liverwort a
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Australian Institute of Marine Scie
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Coral gives new insight into changi
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• As part of the joint Careers in
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Developing meaningful, long-term co
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Defence Science and Technology Orga
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In 2005-06, Geoscience Australia st
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The majority of research-related pu
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The successful proposals represent
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In addition to the continued large
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Enhancing industrial R&D R&D Tax Co
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• improving the management of nat
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Food Innovation Grants Programme As
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Most facilities provide training pr
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Total funding for the ISL programme
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Improving research quality and acce
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PART 2 - Accelerating the commercia
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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 and 100: Sustainable use of Australia’s bi
Page 101 and 102: New techniques assist exploration c
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: Promoting an innovation culture and
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
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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: 152 Backing Australia’s Ability
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
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Appendix 7: National Research Prior
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CRC for Spatial Information http://
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Desert Knowledge CRC http://www.des
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ARC Centre of Excellence in Vision
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170 Backing Australia’s Ability B
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The Australian Government's Innovation Report

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