NSW Chief Scientist Forecasts Bleak Future Without Better Retention and Production of Scientists. (March 26, 2011)

At an Autumn graduation ceremony at the University of New England the Chief Scientist of New South Wales, Professor Mary O'Kane, told more than 2,200 students receiving under-graduate and post-graduate degrees: "Australia has a real productivity problem at the moment and we're in a productivity decline, whereas we were in a great growth period in the 90s; unless our graduates are innovative, bold and brave Australia faces grim times somewhere down the track."

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Below are several additional excerpts of Professor O'Kane's comments to the UNE graduands.

The 1990s saw massive productivity growth and an upsurge of new ICT products, services and capabilities due to the rise of the Internet based services and then later in the decade the beginnings of social media.

At this time Australia's productivity growth was above OECD average for the first time. The 1990s saw the highest underlying productivity growth and the longest period of continuous productivity growth on record (9 years).

In 2011 we find ourselves standing in a very different light to that of the 1980s and 1990s reform era. From about 2003 Australia began to decline in productivity to almost zero and is now going backwards.

[While] there is a general acknowledgment that we must collectively face up to the challenges we are confronted with -- including an ever-increasing and ageing population -- the real and powerful threat of climate change and how we as humans contribute to its rapid procession towards us -- and the huge associated workforce implications and economic consequences of these problems... there is a markedly Australian feeling of 'ease' that we will indeed meet those challenges, seemingly in lieu of any hard decisions being made along the lines of those longer term visionary reforms of the 80s and 90s.

We must be innovative in the private sector and we must commit to innovation in the public service.

It is widely acknowledged innovation is the great driver of productivity.

And the good news is -- to help you along your way -- the march of technology has certainly not slowed.

Innovation is no trivial matter. Innovation is not only intrinsic to our economic prosperity, but to maintaining our quality of life and improving the quality of lives less fortunate than ours.

Part of the innovation journey means accepting that it necessitates failure. Thomas Edison was quoted as saying "I failed my way to success." -- 3M's humble yellow post-it note evolved from a glue substance simply not being sticky enough!

Today you've been given a gift. A gift earned through your own hard work and commitment. Not only your knowledge but your skills in knowledge-handling will equip you to do remarkable things.