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Australian Government commits Funding to Nanotechnologies’ Growth
Published: Tuesday 23 February 2010
The Australian Government (Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) has published a new ‘National Enabling Nanotechnologies Strategy’, according to which, ‘[t]he Government is committing $38.2 million over four years from 2009-10 to the National Enabling Technologies Strategy as part of ‘Powering Ideas - An Innovation Agenda for the 21st Century’.
According to the corresponding Strategy Fact Sheet, key points of the strategy include:
- The Strategy will provide a framework for the responsible development in Australia of enabling technologies such as biotechnology, nanotechnology and other. Technologies as they emerge.
- The Strategy will help Australian industries capitalise on growth opportunities and ensure Australia can benefit from the technologies while addressing potential risks to health, safety and the environment.
- Enabling technologies have applications in many fields of science, industry, environment, agriculture and social outcomes such as health. They are the basis for building knowledge intensive industries that can provide sustainable, high-skill, high-wage jobs for Australians.
- The Strategy will provide balanced and factual information to support evidence-based policy and regulatory practice, and increase community awareness and understanding of nanotechnology and biotechnology.
The introduction to the ‘National Enabling Nanotechnologies Strategy’ report outlines the following themes and objectives:
- A national approach – the Strategy will work with Federal, State and Territory governments and agencies and a wide range of stakeholders, to encourage collaborative efforts and joint activities consistent with the aims of the Strategy.
- Balancing risk and reward – the Strategy will support the appropriate coverage of enabling technologies in policy and regulatory frameworks, and support Government agencies to ensure that Government policy is informed by an understanding of health, safety, environmental, social and economic considerations.
- Developing measurement capabilities – the National Measurement Institute (NMI) will develop measurement infrastructure, expertise and standards for nanotechnology and biotechnology (nanometrology and biometrology).
- Engaging with the public – the Strategy will increase public understanding of enabling technologies and issues surrounding them. It will also increase understanding of public concerns and aspirations about enabling technologies by technology developers and those responsible for policy formulation.
- Using technology for a better future – the Strategy will increase government, industry and the community’s understanding of the ways in which applications of enabling technologies may help to address major global and national challenges and increase industry productivity, and will encourage the responsible development and uptake of these technologies.
- Planning for the Future – The Strategy will assist government, researchers, industry and other stakeholders to prepare for the advent of new technologies by undertaking foresighting activities and supporting the development of policy and regulatory frameworks.
Follow these links to find out more about the published Strategy, or read the Strategy Fact Sheet, to download the full Strategy.
Tags: Australia, strategy, R&D funding