Venturous Australia
Source: Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Australia government
Venturous Australia: Building Strength in Innovation
Canberra: 9 September 2008
The Australian Government has completed the review of the National Innovation System with the publication of the review report titled: venturousaustralia - building strength in innovation. The publication of the report includes the publication of a range of supporting reports. The report makes 72 recommendations. The extensive consultation process that led up to the production of the report included over 740 detailed submissions to the review panel led by Dr Terry Cutler. The Australian Government intends to publish an Innovation policy White paper by the end of 2008.
Chapter 7: Information and market design of the report on page 93 to 95 reviews the potential to be gained from Unlocking public information and content and refers to developments in Europe and in particular the UK for example the Power of Information report. The section also refers to the re-use of public sector information and the impact of pricing policy. The report makes the following recommendations regarding unlocking public information and content:
“Recommendation 7.7: Australia should establish a National information Strategy to optimise the flow of information in the Australian economy.
The fundamental aim of a National Information Strategy should be to:
- Utilise the principles of targeted transparency and the development of auditable standards to maximise the flow of information in private markets about product quality; and
- Maximise the flow of government generated information, research, and content for the benefit of users (including private sector resellers of information).
Recommendation 7.8: Australian governments should adopt international standards of open publishing as far as possible. Material released for public information by Australian governments should be released under a creative commons licence.”
Chapter 12 Governance of the innovation system of the report on page 152 under the heading role of the new National Innovation Council proposes that one of the functions of the Council should be:
- “Oversight of national information policies and their particular application to public sector information and information generated by public funded activity.”
Report and supporting papers
Full report: Venturous Australia: Building Strength in Innovation (228 pages)
Overview Report: Venturous Australia: Building Strength in Innovation (38 pages)
Annex 4 Evidence on the economic impact or research and development (11 pages)
Annex 6 Funding or research and research training in the higher education sector (16 pages)
Annex 8 Comparison of the existing R&D Tax Concession with proposed Tax Credits (2 pages)
Annex 9 Findings of the Intergovernmental Working Group (46 pages)
Annex 11 Rural Research and Development (2 pages)
Annex 12 Preliminary Innovation Indicators (7 pages)
Report: Collaborating to a purpose: Review of the Cooperative Research Centres program. July 2008 (108 pages) ISBN 978 0 642 726193
Annex – Cooperative Research Centres - Collaborating to a purpose – Executive Summary (19 pages)