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Australians identify gaps in public engagement on nanotechnologies

Published: Thursday 26 February 2009

The Australian Office of Nanotechnology (an office within the Australian Ministry of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research), which is responsible for managing the implementation of the Australian Government's National Nanotechnology Strategy (NNS), has published the report of a workshop on Social Inclusion and Societal Engagement, held on the 1st December 2008 in Canberra.

The workshop was attended by ca 45 invitees from Government, industry, researchers, community agencies and a selection of those who AON described as ‘change agents’. In addition to the invited stakeholders, AON organized for five randomly selected members of the community to participate in the workshop. These participants were independently recruited to attend the workshop through a market research company.

Two weeks prior to the meeting, all workshop participants were provided with documentation, including background information on nanotechnology (in Australia).

According to the website announcement of the report launch, the workshop broadly agreed, in principle, that public participation should encompass the following principles: 
  • Deliberative
    • emphasises mutual learning and dialogue
  • Inclusive
    • involves a wide range of citizens and groups whose views would not otherwise have a direct bearing on policy deliberation
  • Substantive
    • topics selected that are significant
  • Consequential
    • Makes a material difference to the governance of new technologies. 
The workshop also identified engagement gaps that need to be addressed: 
  • Increased community input to government policy and regulation
  • Increased community input to the social impacts and directions of research 
  • Improved industry and community dialogue
The following future activities were suggested:
  • Future workshops and engagement activities should be issues-based, with regulation as a priority.
  • An audit of participatory and engagement activities should be undertaken.
  • Nanotechnology that is now in use should be better identified.
 
 
 
Related Links:
1st Annual Report of Australian National Nanotechnology Strategy launched
Australian Senator Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, released the first Australian National Nanotechnology Strategy Annual Report 2007-2008. (30th January 2009)
 
The Australian Government released a study into the ‘Australian Community Attitude held about Nanotechnology – Trends 2005 – 2008’. The report is based on a large scale Australian community survey, providing the most recent community awareness and attitudes held towards nanotechnology covering n=1,100 randomly selected people resident of households living in metropolitan, regional, and rural areas of Australia conducted through representative random sampling techniques. (4th August 2008)
 
'Australia's regulatory systems are well placed to respond to the introduction of nanotechnology products.’ reads the first line of the press release issued by the Australian Government to accompany the publication of two documents that identify areas for further work, and outline the Government’s planned actions to address emerging nanotechnology issues.  (11th July 2008)
 
Coinciding with the release of a report on ‘Nanotechnology in Food and Agriculture’ by Friends of the Earth, Australia’s Science Minister Kim Carr vowed to establish a system for regulating the commercial fruits of nanotechnology. (11th March 2008) 
 
Australian Senator Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research approved the National Nanotechnology Strategy (NNS) Implementation Plan. (29th February 2008)