Review of the National Innovation System
The Review Process
On 22 January 2008, the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr, announced a wide-ranging review of ’s national innovation system to be conducted by an expert panel chaired by Dr Terry Cutler.
By examining the large number of government innovation and industry assistance programs, the panel aims to identify gaps and weaknesses in the innovation system and develop proposals to address them. The Panel is to give regard to relevant reports and studies, including the Productivity Commission’s Report on Public Support for Science and Innovation. The panel will largely focus on:
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Developing a set of national innovation priorities to complement the national research priorities, ensuring the objectives of research programs and other innovation initiatives are complementary. Identifying regulatory and other barriers to innovation and recommending ways to minimise these. Examining the scope for simplifying and reducing program duplication and ensuring that any support provided is well-targeted and easy to access.
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Considering the appropriateness, effectiveness and efficiency of the Research and Development (R&D) Tax concession Scheme in promoting innovation and make recommendations to improve innovation outcomes.
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Considering ways to improve the governance of the national innovation system to support higher expectations of government agencies and industry.
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Assessing the appropriateness, effectiveness and efficiency of the Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Program and make recommendations to improve innovation outcomes.
Going Forward
The review will take six months and it will provide its report (a Green Paper) to Government by the end of July 2008.
The Panel will release an issues paper very shortly. The issues paper will invite written submissions from stakeholders.
In March 2008, a series of consultation meetings will be held with stakeholders according to the following timetable:
- 3rd March – Brisbane
- 5th March – Darwin
- 6th March – Perth
- 7th March – Adelaide
- 11th March – Melbourne
- 12th March – Hobart
- 14th March – Sydney
- 17th March – Canberra
The Government will publicly release the Green Paper shortly after it is received in July 2008, and will invite comments from stakeholders on its findings.
The Government will then develop a response in the form of a White Paper later in 2008.
The Review Panel Members
The review panel comprises:
Dr Terry Cutler, (Chair), CSIRO Director and Chair of the Advisory Board for the Centre for Excellence for Creative Industries;
Professor Mary O’Kane, Executive Chair of Mary O’Kane and Associates;
Dr Megan Clark, Vice President Technology, BHP Billiton;
Professor Glyn Davis, Vice Chancellor, University of Melbourne;
Professor Steve Dowrick, School of Economics, Australian National University;
Professor John Foster, School of Economics, University of Queensland;
Dr Nicholas Gruen, Chief Executive Officer, Lateral Economics;
Ms Narelle Kennedy, Chief Executive, Australian Business Foundation;
Ms Catherine Livingstone, Former Chair of CSIRO and Director Macquarie Bank and Telstra;
Dr Jim Peacock (ex-officio), the Chief Scientist;
Ms Patricia Kelly (ex-officio), Deputy Secretary of the DIISR.
Next Step
This is the opportunity to ensure that government’s agenda for the R&D tax concession and the broader innovation funding system are reflective of what Australian industry needs.
There is little doubt that the battle will be lost if corporates take a back seat in the review.
Contact us now and we will include you in our research and submission process and with regular updates.
R&D Tax Is A Battlefield – Care To Lob A Grenade?
The new Federal Government has declared war – war on inflation; war on Work Choices; war on everything. No, wait, that’s “The Chaser”. But included in the Government’s campaign is an offensive to improve the national innovation system along with the design and delivery of the armada of innovation assistance programs (169 of the buggers at last count).
The R&D tax concession is squarely in its sights and the slogan of the new Industry Minister, Senator Kim Carr, is:
“A New and Improved R&D Tax Concession with No Losers”.
This means that a number of targets have been identified – higher rates of deduction; premiums that work; offsets that are fairer – and every person and his/her proverbial pooch will be thinking about having a say on these and other matters.
We say “Don’t just think about – act on it!”. The next six months represent a golden opportunity to address so many of the issues that we talk (and whinge) about with our clients, other advisers and government. We can’t (and won’t) let this one slip by.
MJA has already been invited to participate in the working group charged with reforming the R&D Tax Concession. We are fully available to help put your concerns in front of the Minister and his team.
We will be contacting all our clients to gather their views in the next few weeks. However, the battle will be lost if corporates take a back seat in the review. If you want a seat at the table, we will do our best to make that happen. Contact us now and we will get the ball rolling.
As soon as more details about how to be involved come to hand, we will send out another update. In the meantime, keep an eye out for the first general stakeholder meetings in March.
Consider this a call to arms. The R&D Tax Concession wants you!
