[csaa-forum] Gillies: live at the Press Club

[Toss Gascoigne]

Dear csaa-forum

Malcolm Gillies is addressing the National Press Club on Wednesday 17
August, and his talk will be broadcast live by ABC TV from 1 pm Wednesday.

His topic is "Rethinking Australian Innovation: the Talent Economy"

The text of his media release follows.



A three-part plan to give Australia greater value from its investment in
research and education will be unveiled in Canberra today (Wednesday).

Professor Malcolm Gillies will outline the steps which will help move
Australia to an economy more based on talented people, in his address to the
National Press Club.

He says that despite a considerable investment by Government, Australia
still sits in the middle of the pack in the OECD list of innovative
countries.

"Our policies have innovative products rather than innovative processes in
mind.  They still reflect the mindset of technology transfer," Professor
Gillies said.

"We need to re-think our game plan.  At the moment we are playing the
innovation game with one hand tied behind our back."

Professor Gillies is President of CHASS, the Council of the Humanities, Arts
and Social Sciences.

He claims that Australia's policies on innovation have been set too
cautiously, citing R&D tax concessions as a glaring example that needs
re-thinking.

"Those wanting to invest in the R&D of the non-science sectors are
explicitly excluded from these concessions because the research is
considered, by definition, to be insufficiently investigative and
systematic," he said.

"We have become hung up on knowledge, when we should be concentrating our
efforts on building the long-term capabilities of our most talented people
both through education and through research."

Professor Gillies will outline the principles behind the "Talent Economy',
and say why it is supplanting the idea of an economy based on knowledge.  He
will then describe steps Australia can take to keep pace in a competitive
world.




Professor Malcolm Gillies will address the National Press Club at 1 pm on
Wednesday 17 August.  Media are invited to attend.

Professor Malcolm Gillies  0416 249 056

For information:  Toss Gascoigne  0408 704 442