NTEU WELCOMES ALP RELEASE OF 'INNOVATION DIRECTIONS' PAPER
April 24, 2007
Today (Tuesday) Leader of the Opposition, Mr Kevin Rudd, released a discussion paper entitled, New directions for innovation, competitiveness and productivity, which outlines the important links between investment in innovation and the future competitiveness of Australian industry and health of the Australian economy, as well as being a essential in meeting future challenges including climate change. The paper also provides a ten point framework for Labor’s innovation policy.
“While much of the emphasis of the paper is on how to lift the Australian business sector’s relatively poor innovation performance, critically the paper recognises the role of government investment in providing research infrastructure and in educating our future research workforce,” Dr Carolyn Allport, National President of NTEU said today.
“Much of the policy’s detail is yet to be announced but NTEU is encouraged by Labor’s recognition of the role universities play in curiosity driven basic and applied research compared to current policies that place too much emphasis on need to the commercialise the outcomes of publicly funded research.”
“The NTEU welcomes the ALP’s explicit acknowledgement that ‘healthy universities are critical to the nation’s innovation framework’ and that it is ‘committed to rebuilding’ their ‘international reputation’, however we would like to see more detailed policy proposals and funding commitments to ensure these objective can be meet.”
“NTEU will be seeking reassurances from Labor that its proposal to develop a ‘hubs and spokes’ model for university research and funding will not adversely impact on smaller or regional universities’ capacity to be actively engaged in their own research agendas or programs or impact on their capacity to provide high quality research education for the next generation of Australian researchers,” Dr Allport concluded.
For more information contact:
Andrew Nette, Policy and Research Coordinator: (03) 9254 1910
Paul Kniest, Policy and Research Officer: (03) 9254 1910