The Australian Government's Innovation Report

NICTA is now a leader in Australia’s ICT research community and is involved with Australia’s major public
and private research centres and universities, as well as with international contemporaries in the US, Europe
and Asia. It is also establishing linkages with small to medium-sized enterprises so they can become familiar
with NICTA’s research activity and, where there is alignment, participate in research project development.
NICTA has been working with other public sector R&D organisations to develop a consolidated, high-level
Australian ICT R&D technology roadmap. Other participants include the Defence Science and Technology
Organisation, CSIRO, the Council of ICT Cooperative Research Centres and various major research universities.
Resources have been committed to develop a detailed business plan and project specification for a major joint
collaborative project (named Braccetto) in the area of human computer interaction.
More information about the NICTA Centre of Excellence can be found at: www.nicta.com.au and
www.dcita.gov.au/ictcoe
The answer to cancer treatment
NICTA and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre are working together to change the way cancer medicine is
practiced through the application of advanced techniques in data analysis to large sets of genomic data.
NICTA has been working with the centre through its Statistical Machine Learning research programme.
The centre has been able to provide NICTA with high-quality DNA datasets involving hundreds of
samples with important information on gene expression, gene copy number and chemical modification.
To date, most of the work in this field has been done with small datasets and analysed using relatively
basic methods. But the results of this innovative study could change the diagnosis of cancer, treatment
selection and prognosis.
National Biotechnology Strategy
The Australian Government launched the National Biotechnology Strategy (NBS) in 2000 to provide a
framework for capturing the benefits of biotechnology for Australia. Biotechnology Australia (BA) provides
a whole-of-government approach as the coordinating agency for five government departments with biotechnology
responsibilities: industry, agriculture, environment, education and science, and health.
Through investments both prior to and under the Backing Australia’s Ability initiative, the Australian Government
has provided funding under the NBS for a range of activities, including: funding for the Biotechnology
Innovation Fund; funding studies through the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and
Department of Environment and Heritage; the establishment of the National Stem Cell Centre; support for BA
and the development of coordination mechanisms; and support for industry development through sponsorship
of Australian industry in national and international conferences. During 2005-06, further progress was made
towards strengthening the national approach to capturing the benefits of biotechnology for Australia while
safeguarding human health and ensuring environmental protection.
In November 2005, the Australia’s Biotechnology Capabilities publication was launched at the AusBiotech National
Conference. The publication, developed in agreement with state and territory governments through the Biotechnology
Liaison Committee, outlines national capabilities in biotechnology application and products areas and is being
used in coordinated international marketing activities and to inform future national policy development.
In 2006 BA produced a map of Australia’s regulatory environment for biotechnology and a web tool to help
industry negotiate the regulatory environment. The regulatory map was launched at the 2006 AusBiotech
National Conference and is available online at www.bioregs.gov.au.
Under the next phase of NBS work, BA will implement the national statistical framework for biotechnology
completed in December 2006. Through the Biotechnology Liaison Committee, a 10-year forward plan for each
of the four key areas of application will also be developed, starting with agribiotechnology.
More information about the NBS can be found at: www.biotechnology.gov.au
Chapter 2 - Initiatives for a dynamic national innovation system 77