Professor Peter Cullen, President, FASTS (Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies)
New policy document
The FASTS' Policy Document for 1998 will be launched at the 'Crisis or Crossroads?' forum on 25 February, and public copies will be available then.
This third edition has been completely revamped by the Policy Committee headed by Ken Baldwin. It contains 105 policies and actions, 31 of which are new. Some of the changes were dictated by changing circumstances, some because our policies have been adopted by Government, and others reflect the different priorities of the Coalition Government.
New PMSEC
New Minister for Industry, Science and Tourism John Moore and the Prime Minister are to be congratulated for picking up many of the reforms to PMSEC (the Prime Minister's Science Engineering and Innovation Council) suggested in Chief Scientist John Stocker's recent review.
PMSEC has been substantially revamped, along lines that fit very comfortably with the FASTS' Policy Document, and will strengthen and simplify policy advice to the Government.
The non-Ministerial (i.e. scientific) members of PMSEC will meet out of session as members of standing committees to advise Government on broad issues. This will allow me as President of FASTS to meet regularly with other ex officio members as well as a small group of distinguished scientists who are members of PMSEC in their own right.
I have been encouraged by the refreshing personal commitment the Prime Minister has shown to the functioning of PMSEIC. The activities and membership of Council have been expanded, and I have been invited to join the working party on priority issues in science and technology. This group will work to identify those key issues which should be brought to the attention of the full Council.
The casualty in the process is ASTEC, which is to be wound up as soon as the current terms of its members have expired and when current inquiries have been completed.
New Board and Executive
Former President Joe Baker maintained a tireless presence for science and technology over his two year term. His efforts ensured that the Government was always aware that working scientists and technologists had a representative organisation in FASTS, and were prepared to offer constructive advice on a whole range of issues which are so important to the long-term future of Australia.
He was ably supported by the Executive and Board, and I should particularly mention retiring Board Members Dick Groot Obbink, Patricia Angus and Jan Thomas; and retiring Executive Member Carolyn Mountford for their support. (Jan moves to the Executive as Vice-president, so we do not lose her skills and experience.)
The new Board and Executive are:
Executive
| President | Professor Peter Cullen |
| Past-president | Dr Joe Baker |
| Vice-president | Dr Geoff Hudson |
| Vice-president | Ms Jan Thomas |
| Secretary | Dr Chris Easton |
| Treasurer | Professor Snow Barlow |
Board
| Chemistry | Dr Alan Arnold |
| Mathematical Sciences | Dr Noel Barton |
| Biological Sciences | Dr Peter French |
| Aquatic Sciences | Professor Craig Johnson |
| Earth Sciences | Dr Geoff Hudson |
| Physical Sciences | Professor Jaan Oitmaa |
| Plants and Ecology | Professor Snow Barlow |
| Medical Sciences | Professor David Tracey |
Industry statement
The Prime Minister's announcement of increased support for Industry R&D does not replace the funding removed from R&D through earlier budgetary decisions, but it does indicate an important shift in attitude.
I had urged Australia to choose policies leading to a high-wage, knowledge-based society at the Council meeting. Perhaps the Prime Minister and his Government were listening!
FASTS welcomes the boost to funds for industry R&D through the START programme and the awarding of 50 extra Australian postgraduate Awards (Industry) in Information Technology.
It is important now to give industry and R&D organisations a period of certainty, in which Government settings remained constant. It is hard to keep up with a policy line that is constantly changing.
The Government chose to ignore the recommendations of the notorious Chapter 6 of the Mortimer Report, advocating the amalgamation of R&D Corporations, setting new and unrealistic targets for external earnings for CSIRO and the universities, and effectively abolishing the CRC Programme.
Australian Council of Deans joins FASTS
We are delighted that the ACDS voted at its last meeting to join as Affiliate Members. The ACDS has become an increasingly effective group in the last year or so, and I welcome John Rice to attend our Board meetings as President of the ACDS.
Joint letter with industry bodies to PM
FASTS was invited to make a joint representation on industry R&D to the Prime Minister recently. Other bodies involved included the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Business Council of Australia, the Institute of Engineers and the Minerals Council.
The letter called on the Government to take urgent action to change tax and other arrangements in support of business R&D.
NHMRC
Peter French, new Board Member for Medical Sciences, advises that the Strategic Plan for the NHMRC is available at:
http://www.health.gov.au/nhmrc/publicat/strtplan/contents.html
The structure and resourcing of the NHMRC is important to many members of FASTS. We'd like comment and feedback on the plan, on strengths and weaknesses of the NHMRC's strategy and on any other aspects of the NHMRC that are felt to be in need of improvement.
HECS fees and science enrolments
I have asked Minister Moore to take up the issue of the possible impact higher HECS fees are having on undergraduate science enrolments with his colleague the Minister for Education.
Those who attended the FASTS' Council in November 1996 will remember former Science Minister McGauran's promise to take up this issue with the then Minister for Education should the numbers turn bad.
Minister Moore is yet to reply, but this will be an interesting test of the transferability of Ministerial promises!
House of Representatives inquiry
FASTS was invited to make a submission to the H. of R. Committee examining the effects on R&D of public policy reform in the past decade.
This was a challenging task - so challenging that DIST could not even provide a comprehensive list of the changes to policy over this period! Our full submission is on the FASTS' web site, but here is a brief extract:
'The last decade has seen an acceleration of an international trend by Governments to curtail their operations, and to move away from areas which in the past have been regarded as their responsibility ... FASTS argues that moves by Government to corporatisation, privatisation and outsourcing are in some cases moves away from areas which should be the responsibility of Government. These cases threaten public-good research and long-term planning which is the basis of successful science.'
Send more money, send it to me, and send it now
Those looking in the West Report for solutions to the difficulties being experienced by science departments in universities have been disappointed. The report has been roundly criticised for its lack of focus and clarity. But at least one member of the West Review has suggested scientists should look beyond the usual 'send more money, send it to me, and send it now' response.
West is on the table, and West is where the Government stands at the moment. If anyone wants to change Government thinking about universities they should work at improving West.
The 'University Science: Crisis or Crossroads?' forum FASTS is organising at the National Press Club in Canberra on February 25 should help shift thinking in this area. It is a solutions-oriented day. It will examine the difficulties science is facing in the universities, but it will also invite all speakers to nominate ways of solving the problems.
FASTS top ten policies for 1998
Contacting FASTS
PO Box 218, Deakin West, ACT 2601
Phone:02 6257 2891, Fax:02 6257 2897
Email: fasts@anu.edu.au
Web address: http://www.usyd.edu.au/su/fasts/