Restyled PMSEIC Held First Meeting on March 30. (April 11,2012)

A media release published today by the Office of the Chief Scientist notes that the reorganised Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council (PMSEIC) held its first meeting on Friday March 30 in Sydney. The meeting was chaired by the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, and: "was attended by Senator the Hon Chris Evans, Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research; standing members of PMSEIC; as well as Australia’s Chief Scientist, Professor Ian Chubb, who is Executive Officer of the Council."

According to today's media release "PMSEIC has been reinforced by a $10 million Government commitment over three years to the new arrangements. The funding will support research and project work by the Australian Council of Learned Academies (ACoLA)*. The academies, working with the Chief Scientist, will be responsible for research projects that are identified by PMSEIC and that will help develop policy to underpin a resilient economy and secure Australia’s future.  The link with ACoLA will allow PMSEIC to draw on the expertise of the academies, and such other expertise as particular topics require. ACoLA will manage the research projects to get the best possible advice to government."

Also discussed were "the preliminary findings and recommendations of a report on the Health of Australian Science from the Office of the Chief Scientist [which] is a comprehensive analysis of the state of [the] national science research and education effort, science teaching, science workforce and international research collaboration. It will be published in May 2012".

The Australian also reports that the $10 million additional funding "will be allocated out of the existing Australian Research Council budget," and according to acting ARC chief executive Leanne Harvey the funds will defray "projects that advance Australian research policy and capacity in all areas of science, humanities, social science and technical and engineering.... The ARC will call for projects from Australian Council of Learned Academies and the Learned Academies to primarily address priority areas that arise out of PMSIEC and advise the government about enhancing Australia's competitive future''.

Speaking as president of ACoLA, the president of the Australian Academy of Science, Suzanne Cory, told The Australian that she was anticipating "working together to bring Australia's brightest minds to bear on big issues for Australia. The Learned Academies have long argued the importance of having science and research underpin policy formation. This initiative will provide a formal avenue through which to do so."

Professor Chubb commented: "The Prime Minister is committed to ensuring she has access to the best possible scientific advice for policy decisions, and I am confident the new PMSEIC and ACoLA arrangements will make that happen."

The next meeting of PMSEIC is scheduled for Monday July 9, 2012 in Canberra. The agenda has yet to be announced, and so far there is no suggestion that PMSEIC might follow the example of US President Obama's council of advisors on science and technology (PCAST) in having the meeting webcast.

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* The Australian Academy of Science, Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, Academy of Social Sciences in Australia, and the Australian Academy of the Humanities.