Draft 2016 National Research Infrastructure Roadmap: Response to the Consultation

This submission responds to the consultation on the Draft 2016 National Research Infrastructure Roadmap, commenting on selected recommendations. Research Australia questions the need for a new Research Infrastructure National Advisory Group, proposing instead an Interdepartmental Committee of relevant department secretaries supported by the Office of the Chief Scientist, with oversight through existing bodies such as the Commonwealth Science Council, Innovation and Science Australia and the Innovation and Science Committee of Cabinet. It supports a Roadmap Investment Plan engaging state and territory governments, universities, industry and philanthropy, arguing that health and biomedical precincts such as the Melbourne Biomedical Precinct offer opportunities for Commonwealth and state co-investment, and that universities could pool institutional investments into shared national facilities, citing the IBM Global lab partnership in Melbourne. It recommends a broad approach to supporting technical staff across research facilities of all types, transparent assessment of ongoing investment in landmark facilities including comparison with international alternatives, and use of existing departmental networks such as Austrade to promote Australian infrastructure. It also asks that the Roadmap define the ‘national interest’ criterion so that it does not exempt proposals from transparent assessment, and that business cases include key performance indicators and whole-of-life costs.