R&D in Australia – is it delivering?

How is the research and development (R&D) system serving Australia? In a special address for the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, leading scientist and research administrator Prof Mary O’Kane drew on her extensive experience in research, academia and public policy to explore the state of the research and development system.

“Is the R&D landscape delivering for us as a nation? Well, one thing that’s becoming increasingly clear – we were very, very good at innovation in the 1990s and we really powered our economy along at that point, particularly with absorbing ICT,” explained Prof O’Kane.

“But in the last 20 years or so, our productivity growth has stalled. Stalled completely,” she said.

Prof O’Kane said that Australia has good innovation inputs, but the nation fell behind on global innovation indices for innovation outputs.

“Does that matter? Well, when you compare us to other nations, the thing you particularly note is that nations we would typically compare ourselves to in general terms are up there running there in the top ten and we are nowhere to be seen and haven’t been anywhere to be seen on that index for a very long time.”

Prof O’Kane spoke at the CRC’s Research Forum at AFAC19 annual conference in Melbourne in August. She has a long and distinguished history of working closely with many research organisations, including Cooperative Research Centers, and with state and federal governments on research challenges. Prof O’Kane is the chair of the NSW Planning Assessment Commission and was previously the NSW Chief Engineer and Scientist.

The oration was held in honour of former CRC Chair Dr Laurie Hammond, who passed away last year. Dr Hammond was appointed independent Chairman of the CRC when it began in 2013 and was integral to the growth and development of the Centre.

The inaugural Dr Laurie Hammond oration featured stories of Laurie’s vision and contribution to the CRC.

Prof O’Kane spoke of how she met Dr Hammond, how his career progressed and of his skill in navigating the landscape of a less than perfect system.

So, is our R&D system delivering for us? Prof O’Kane thinks the answer is no.

Despite these limitations of the R&D system, Prof O’Kane believed the complex system with very good innovation inputs is an incredible opportunity for organisations to produce economic success. The key to that success, she said, was in defining the problem.

“To take advantage of it, you’ve got to know what you’re doing. And this is where Laurie was so good. He helped people to get great clarity on how to move through this landscape.”

The current CRC Chair Dr Katherine Woodthorpe introduced the special address with her own stories of Laurie.

“Laurie was an incredibly important figure,” said Dr Woodthorpe. “During his time, he led the development of strategy and helped to build the reputation of the CRC for its utilisation focused research agenda.”

Research can enhance Australia’s prosperity and help meet national goals but Dr Woodthorpe added that it is Dr Hammond’s catchphrase – “utilisation is everything” – that is the central tenant of the CRC that lives on today.

The AFAC19 conference is run in partnership between the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC and AFAC, powered by INTERSCHUTZ. The conference took place in Melbourne from 27-29 August.

Dr Laurie Hammond Oration 2019 - full session