Jan 16 2008
The Australian Industry, Science and Innovation Minister Kim Carr has confirmed to BioTechnologyNews.net that the new Rudd Government will end the four-year, $21.5 million National Nanotechnology Strategy two years early. The move will save around $12 million in the short term but has been criticised as short sighted by industry insiders and the opposition Government.
Although the strategy was only announced by the previous government in October last year, it will be canned in mid-2009. The flow on effects include a funding risk for a planned state-of-the-art atomic force microscope for the National Measurement Institute (NMI) that was to provide a new calibration service for nanoscale standards in Australia. The development of regulatory standards and occupational health and safety rules for the Australian nanotechnology industry are also in doubt.
The new Government is planning to review emerging technologies like nanotechnology and develop a yet to be detailed wholistic national innovation system.
Australian Nano Business Forum chief executive Tina Rankovic told BTN that she was disappointed, but not surprised, at the decision.
"In a meeting I had with Senator Carr last year, he did flag the possible scrapping of the Nanotech Strategy in its current form, so I'm not surprised," she said.
"However, I am a little disappointed in that that it's been scrapped with nothing to replace it other than a review."
Rankovic felt that the decision would have little immediate impact on Australian nanotech companies but could slow the development of the Australian industry in the medium term.
"The whole thing will be slowed up. If occupational health and safety issues are not researched and frameworks put in place to address them, if regulatory frameworks aren't put into place, if access to national infrastructure like metrology facilities is not possible then I guess the building blocks to develop nano-enabled products won't be there," she said.