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Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education

The Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education works with a range of industry stakeholders to help shape the future economy through discovery, skills, and innovation. The Department, and the wider portfolio, are working to accelerate productivity growth and secure Australia's prosperity in a competitive global economy.

Recognising that collaboration, education and a strong science and research base are keys to success, the Department brings together business, research bodies, the tertiary education sector, government and the broader community to discover, embrace and drive new ways of achieving economic and social benefits and deliver those benefits to Australia.

The Department is focused on promoting technological, social and environmental innovation and shaping businesses, industries and the workforce to turn these opportunities into action.

The Department's approach is driven by its seven key strategic priorities: investing in scientific engagement and awareness; strengthening and focusing Australia's research efforts, developing a highly skilled, educated and productive workforce, driving productive, competitive and innovative business; developing industries for the future; increasing participation and building capability; and fostering a culture of collaboration.

Funding assistance is provided to firms, research organisations and tertiary education institutions whether they are in metropolitan, regional, rural or remote areas. The portfolio has an extensive regional presence with services delivered through:

AusIndustry;
Enterprise Connect network; and
Portfolio agencies, such as the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the National Measurement Institute (NMI).

New Initiatives

Small Business Advisory Services

The 2012‑13 Budget will provide $27.5 million over four years to continue the Small Business Advisory Services (SBAS) program. Eligible service providers, such as Business Enterprise Centres and Registered Business Organisations, will be able to apply for funding under the re-focused program to help existing small business operators and those starting out with low-cost planning and management advice and assistance with applications for finance. The program will be funded on an on-going basis.

Current Initiatives

AusIndustry Regional Managers Network

The AusIndustry Regional Managers Network provides regional businesses with improved access to information and programs. There are offices in 15 regional centres across Australia. The Network provides an important interface between regional businesses and government, with its strength being the 'face-to-face' delivery method. The Network is also helping to increase collaboration within regional communities, facilitating inter-business networks and relationships - a key factor in encouraging innovation.

Assistance to Upgrade Simplot's Processing Plants in Tasmania

During the 2010 election, the Government committed $3.0 million to Simplot Australia Pty Ltd to assist in the $15.6 million capital cost of replacing the three existing coal fired boilers at the company's Tasmanian Ulverstone Plant with an eight megawatt gas fired co-generation system that produces both electricity and steam.

Simplot is the last remaining nationally distributed frozen vegetable processor in Australia. The company operates plants at Devonport and Ulverstone in northern Tasmania. The Ulverstone plant processes approximately 250,000 tonnes of raw potatoes annually and employs some 250 staff with up to 80 casuals.

The investment assists in securing employment in the region and materially reduces the Ulverstone plant's carbon emissions by an estimated 48 per cent or 39,000 tonnes per annum.

Clean Technology Program

The Government's $1.2 billion Clean Technology Program is a landmark initiative which provides industry with incentives to reduce carbon emissions and tackle the challenges of climate change. The program, which is delivered by AusIndustry, comprises three elements.

Clean Technology Investment Program

The Clean Technology Investment Program is a $800.0 million program over seven years that will provide grants to existing Australian manufacturing businesses to invest in energy efficient capital equipment and low emissions technologies, processes and products. The grants, to be delivered by AusIndustry, will provide practical transitional assistance to Australian manufacturing businesses. The program opened for applications on 16 February 2012.

Clean Technology Food and Foundries Investment Program

The Clean Technology Food and Foundries Investment Program is a $200.0 million program over six years that provides grants to existing Australian food and foundry manufacturing businesses to invest in energy efficient capital equipment and low emissions technologies, processes and products. The grants, to be delivered by AusIndustry, will provide practical transitional assistance to Australian manufacturing businesses. The program opened for applications on 16 February 2012.

Clean Technology Innovation Program

The Clean Technology Innovation Program is a $200.0 million program to support research and development, proof of concept and early stage commercialisation activities that lead to the development of new clean technologies and associated services including low emission and energy efficient solutions that reduce greenhouse emissions. It will support Australian companies, including small businesses and individuals, and applications involving collaboration with research institutions or other companies (domestic and/or international) will be highly encouraged. The program is scheduled to open in the second half of 2012.

Commercialisation Australia

Commercialisation Australia is a competitive, merit-based assistance program offering funding and resources to accelerate the business building process for Australian companies, entrepreneurs, researchers and inventors.

The program has funding of $269.2 million over the five years to 2014, with ongoing funding of $82.0 million per year thereafter.

Commercialisation Australia recognises that researchers and early stage businesses need more than capital to succeed. It provides not only a range of funding products, but access to highly skilled business builders who are available to work with successful applicants and guide them through the various stages of commercialisation. Where needed, Commercialisation Australia also links its participants with volunteer business mentors. These are people with significant business, commercialisation, domain and investment expertise.

Commercialisation Australia is available to companies, entrepreneurs and researchers throughout Australia. The program is currently supporting 53 firms in regional areas with total funding in excess of $17.5 million.

Enterprise Connect

Enterprise Connect is a national network of 12 Centres that help Australian firms develop the skills, tools and knowledge needed to improve their competitiveness and productivity and to maximise their growth potential. The network employs around 100 experienced Business Advisers and Facilitators, including 29 located in regional Australia. Since its establishment, Enterprise Connect has provided Business Reviews to more than 5,700 small firms of which around 1,800 were located in regional Australia.

Enterprise Connect has a Remote Enterprise Centre that provides services to firms in remote areas of Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Northern Territory. Recognising the particular challenges for remote businesses, the program provides concessional eligibility criteria. To date, more than 300 remote businesses have been assisted through the Enterprise Connect Business Review service.

Since its inception in 2008, Enterprise Connect has worked to support regional Australia through a range of activities including:

assisting Ballarat University and the City of Ballarat to develop the Strategic Management for Profitable Growth Program to support Ballarat manufacturing;
coordinating Federal Government responses to SMEs affected by major structural change;
developing the Central Queensland Innovation Accord, a regional level agreement backed by over 100 regional leaders to work collaboratively; and
partnering with the University of South Australia to deliver 'Innovate from Good to Great' program, taking high potential businesses through dedicated training and coaching.

Green Building Fund

The Green Building Fund was established in 2008 as part of the Government's Clean Business Australia initiative. Its aim was to reduce the impact of Australia's built environment on greenhouse gas emissions, by reducing the energy consumed in the operation of commercial office buildings. In 2010, the program expanded to include hotels and shopping centres covered by the National Australian Built Environment Rating System. Grants of between $50,000 and $500,000 were available, for up to 50 per cent of the total project cost.

Examples of projects include:

upgrades to heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems;
improvements to common area lighting;
building control management systems to better monitor and manage energy used in the building; and
implementation of renewable energy, or co-generation systems.

The program is now closed to new applications. Management of existing grant agreements will continue until 30 June 2014.

Illawarra Region Innovation and Investment Fund

The Illawarra Region Innovation and Investment Fund (IRIIF) was jointly announced by the Prime Minister and the Premier of New South Wales on 22 August 2011 in response to BlueScope Steel's decision to restructure its manufacturing operations at Port Kembla in the Illawarra resulting in the loss of more than 800 jobs. The IRIIF is a $30.0 million joint initiative comprising $20.0 million from the Australian Government, $5.0 million from the New South Wales Government and $5.0 million from BlueScope Steel over three years to 30 June 2014. The Fund is expected to generate around 1,000 new sustainable jobs in the Illawarra.

The Fund will strengthen the Illawarra region by stimulating investment and diversifying the economic and employment base. The package supports new investment that will create high quality, skilled and sustainable job opportunities in the Illawarra region.

The IRIIF will have up to three competitive funding rounds. Round one opened on 18 October 2011 and closed on 16 December 2011. A total of 13 projects will be offered funding of $16.2 million (GST inclusive), leveraging an additional $30.3 million in business investment and creating approximately 470 jobs.

Re-tooling For Climate Change

The Re-tooling for Climate Change program aimed to help SME Australian manufacturers to reduce their environmental footprint, by improving the energy and/or water efficiency of their production processes. The program was part of the Government's Clean Business Australia initiative. A significant proportion of funded projects were in regional Australia. The program is now closed to new applications.

Under the program, Australian SME manufacturers were able to apply for grants from $10,000 to $500,000 to fund up to 50 per cent of project costs. Project examples included:

the application of water capture, recycling and filtration technologies;
investment in co-generation or renewable energy technology; and
process re-engineering to reduce energy consumption/waste and/or water consumption/waste.

Research and Development Tax Incentive

The Research and Development (R&D) Tax Incentive is the Australian Government's flagship program for encouraging business investment in R&D. It is a broad-based, market-driven entitlement program designed to support R&D activities conducted by companies across Australia, including those in regional Australia. The program replaces the R&D Tax Concession and applies to income years commencing on or after 1 July 2011.

The R&D Tax Incentive provides more generous and predictable support to businesses undertaking R&D activities than the previous R&D Tax Concession program.

The two components of the R&D Tax Incentive are: a 45 per cent refundable tax offset for SMEs with an aggregated turnover of under $20.0 million; and a 40 per cent non‑refundable tax offset for all other firms. An SME can receive a cash refund if it is in tax loss. There is no cap for eligible R&D expenditures that can be claimed under the R&D Tax Incentive.

The Tax Incentive has made it more attractive for multinational companies to invest in R&D in Australia, by removing the previous requirements for the resulting intellectual property to be held in Australia. The program provides greater access for companies controlled by universities and other tax-exempt entities. It also supports businesses undertaking R&D in collaboration with other entities including Research Service Providers and Cooperative Research Centres. These elements help encourage collaborative R&D activities between private sector companies and public sector research organisations, including regional universities.

Small Business Support Line

The Small Business Support Line provides small business owners across Australia, including those located in regional Australia, with a single point of contact to help them access information and referral services. The support line links into existing small business support mechanisms, including business licensing information and referrals, Business Enterprise Centres (BECs), and State and Territory Government small business programs and services. The Small Business Support Line also incorporates the Small Business Credit Complaints clearing house, which provides an avenue for small businesses to complain about access to, and the cost of, bank finance. The Small Business Support Line has been funded to continue to 30 June 2015.

Small Business Advisory Services — Natural Disaster Assistance

The SBAS — Natural Disaster Assistance (NDA) program provides funding for small business support groups to help them deliver additional services to assist small businesses that have been directly and/or indirectly affected by the natural disasters that have occurred in Australia since October 2010. The Australian Government has provided $2.5 million to fund 25 BECs and Registered Business Organisations across Australia. Twenty-two of these are located in regional Australia.

South East South Australia Innovation and Investment Fund

The $12.0 million South East South Australia Innovation and Investment Fund is part of a $17.0 million assistance package announced by the South Australian and Australian Governments in January 2011 following the decision by Kimberly-Clark to close its operations at Millicent in South Australia. Funding is to be provided over the 2011‑12 and 2012‑13 financial years to assist industry development in south east South Australia by providing grants to support innovative job creation projects that strengthen the region's manufacturing and technology base.

Tasmanian Innovation and Investment Fund

The $8.0 million Tasmanian Innovation and Investment Fund (TIIF) forms part of the Economic Diversification stream (Stream 3) of the $276.0 million Tasmanian Forests Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA). The TIIF was announced by the Prime Minister on 3 October 2011 and applications closed on 14 December 2011. A total of 26 projects were awarded funding of $8.3 million (GST inclusive), leveraging an additional $12.2 million in business investment and creating 261 new jobs. The TIIF provides support for investment in new activities that broaden the Tasmanian economy.

Textile, Clothing and Footwear Small Business Program

The Textile, Clothing and Footwear (TCF) Small Business Program provides grants of up to $50,000 for projects to improve the business enterprise culture of established TCF small businesses that have not received grants or qualify for assistance from other TCF programs. TCF small businesses must manufacture an eligible TCF product in Australia, or design an eligible TCF product for manufacture in Australia. They must also: have fewer than 20 employees; have a minimum turnover of $100,000; and provide a minimum cash contribution to the project of 25 per cent of eligible expenditure. The program is competitive and applications are assessed on merit. Funding of $2.5 million is available per year over a ten year program period, which commenced in 2006‑07.

Textile, Clothing and Footwear Strategic Capability Program

The Textile, Clothing and Footwear Strategic Capability Program (TCF SCP) is a five year (July 2010 to June 2015) $35.0 million, competitive grant program. It funds large projects that will build innovative capability at the enterprise and workplace level. The program supports strategic projects that increase innovative capability across the Australian TCF industry. By supporting the development of innovative capability, the program aims to assist the growth and development of a highly creative, sustainable and internationally competitive TCF sector. The minimum grant size is $250,000 and funding must be matched on a dollar for dollar basis. The program is a competitive, merit-based grants program. All eligible TCF businesses can apply. Consortium applications are also available which can include any non-TCF business provided that the consortium includes an eligible TCF business.

Examples of TCF SCP projects in regional areas include:

the repositioning of Creswick Woollen Mills (Creswick, Victoria) from a fine yarn spinning business to a carpet yarn spinner through an upgrade of the mill. The project aims to provide SME carpet manufacturers with access to lower volume, customised yarn production. This new source of yarn will allow these manufacturers to develop new and innovative carpet designs and products; and
the research and development of a portfolio of lightweight, highly technical fabrics at Bruck Textiles (Wangaratta, Victoria) to provide protection against ballistic, stab and needle stick threats. The project will be undertaken in conjunction with the CSIRO, which will carry out small-scale weaving and experiment with various raw materials and compositions to achieve optimum ballistic protection. The project is also directed at establishing new markets for the products developed.

Science & Research

Australian Astronomical Observatory

The Australian Astronomical Observatory (AAO) generates a variety of benefits for the people of Coonabarabran, the Warrumbungle Shire and regional New South Wales, through the operations of the Anglo-Australian Telescope and the United Kingdom Schmidt Telescope, and through its outreach activities and community engagement.

The AAO employs 29 staff at its Siding Spring Observatory site. Additionally, the AAO offers local contracts for services at the AAO and for the supply of goods and services to support the operations of the Observatory. The AAO is a major drawcard for tourists to the region, with approximately 17,500 visitors each year.

The AAO is collaborating with the local community, regional councils, the Coonabarabran District Chamber of Commerce, the Coonabarabran Local Aboriginal Land Council, and the New South Wales Department of Planning to develop a new State Environmental Planning Policy, a Regulation under the New South Wales Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (and subsequent amendments such as the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment Act 2008 No 36). The policy will ensure new developments in the region maintain the dark skies that are crucial to the Observatory.

Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics

The Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics (ACPFG) uses key genomic technologies to develop techniques for improving the resistance of wheat and barley to hostile environmental conditions such as drought, salinity and mineral deficiencies. It also evaluates the commercial potential for products and services resulting from the research. The total Australian Government funding commitment to the ACPFG from 2002 to 2012 is approximately $41.1 million. This comprises funding commitments from the Australian Research Council and the Grains Research and Development Corporation. This program will assist the agriculture industries in regional Australia to remain environmentally sustainable and economically competitive.

The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies

The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) is the world's premier institution for information and research about the cultures and lifestyles of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, past and present. Under its Return of Materials to Indigenous Australians program, AIATSIS has provided items from its audio-visual collection free-of-charge to Indigenous families and communities across Australia for both personal and family use. In particular the service is used by regional and remote communities to access details relating to family and community histories. AIATSIS has been conducting intensive Community Access Programs in places such as Brewarrina, Fitzroy Crossing, Palm Island, Taree, Cherbourg and Barunga communities.

The AIATSIS' Native Title Research Unit assists Registered Native Title Bodies Corporate or Prescribed Bodies Corporate (PBC) including the Djabugay in Kuranda and the Torres Strait PBCs, with which it has entered into Research Action Partnerships through its PBC project. AIATSIS holds an annual national Native Title Conference that brings together the largest number of regional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants of any policy-focussed conference in the country.

Australian Institute of Marine Science

The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) is Australia's Tropical Marine Science Agency, undertaking innovative, world class marine research that generates new understanding of the marine ecosystems across northern Australia. Through effective transfer of this knowledge, AIMS supports the sustainable use and protection of the tropical marine environment. The offshore oil and gas, mining, aquaculture, tourism and fishing industries have all benefited from AIMS research. These industries make an important contribution to the regional economies of northern Australia and to the national economy. In 2008‑09 the total measureable value of economic activity based in the marine environment in Australia was around $44.5 billion which represented a growth of six percent from the previous year. This was largely driven by offshore oil and gas exploration and tourism which are major industries in northern Australia.

The Government recognises the importance of northern Australia and the increasing demand for marine research. In 2011‑12 it allocated $31.3 million to AIMS to help support important research in the region and has invested $55.0 million in Tropical Marine Research Facilities at AIMS as part of the Marine and Climate Component of the Super Science initiative. These facilities, located in Townsville (North Queensland) and Darwin, will be completed in 2012 and will help address the need for strengthened marine science capability both regionally and nationally.

Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation

The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) is Australia's national nuclear science and technology research and development organisation. Its expertise is applied to medical radiopharmaceutical production and research; climate change research; water resource management; materials engineering; neutron scattering and a range of other scientific disciplines.

ANSTO is the primary supplier of radiopharmaceuticals in Australia, distributing to 35 regional hospitals/nuclear medicine practices across Australia. The remainder of the regional areas are supplied from isotopes ANSTO supplies to radio pharmacies.

ANSTO conducts environmental-related research in regional areas across Australia, including the following projects:

understanding past rainfall patterns in southwest Western Australia and the headwaters of the Murray River system;
mapping water sources and availability in Riversleigh (Queensland), Cooper Creek (South Australia and Queensland), Wimmera region (Victoria), the Gnangara Mound (Western Australia) and Macquarie Marshes (New South Wales);
research into aquatic ecosystems at Macquarie Marshes (New South Wales), Gwydir Wetlands (New South Wales) and Lowbidgee Wetlands (New South Wales); and
dust and fine particle monitoring in the Hunter Valley, Newcastle, and Wollongong in New South Wales, and in Cape Grim in Tasmania.

ANSTO is a major employer in the Illawarra region of New South Wales. There are almost 400 ANSTO employees who live in Wollongong, making up one third of ANSTO's 1,100 strong workforce. ANSTO invested $36.7 million in the Illawarra through wages and contracts with 150 local businesses and suppliers.

Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder and Square Kilometre Array radio telescopes

The Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP), a next-generation radio telescope, is an approximately $120.0 million project being designed and built by the CSIRO near Murchison in the mid-west of Western Australia. Construction of the Pathfinder is due to be completed in 2013. When complete, ASKAP will be one of the world's premier radio telescopes and will help to answer fundamental questions about the universe.

As well as being a world-leading telescope in its own right, ASKAP will be an important test bed for the multi-billion dollar Square Kilometre Array, a future international radio telescope that will be the world's largest and most sensitive, for which Australia is competing to become the host site. The CSIRO is leading the construction of ASKAP and is ensuring that it involves local communities and local businesses in regional Australia as much as possible.

Cairns Institute — Tropical Innovation Hub

The Cairns Institute, located at James Cook University's Cairns Campus will support greater collaboration in areas of national significance such as marine and climate science, public health, social and community welfare, tourism and Indigenous development. The Institute will become a focal point for tropical innovation, research and research training. The total Australian Government funding commitment to the Institute from 2010 to 2013 is approximately $19.5 million, which was announced as a special Budget appropriation in 2009.

Collaborative Research Networks

Smaller and regional universities make an important contribution to the economic, social and cultural life of local communities. They bring great skills to regional communities and help inspire young people to make a contribution.

In May 2011, the Government announced that 12 higher education institutions would receive a total of $61.5 million from 2011 to 2014 through the Collaborative Research Networks program, to assist less research intensive, smaller and regional universities develop their research capabilities by working in partnership with more research-intensive institutions.

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

The CSIRO has 25 sites across regional Australia, delivering scientific expertise and research capability and linking with the local innovation infrastructure. Some key CSIRO achievements which have regional applications include the following:

Digital Elevation Model - CSIRO, the Australian National University (ANU), the Bureau of Meteorology, Geoscience Australia and the Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation completed the finest resolution national computer model of Australia's ground surface topography and river networks. This 30 metre resolution model will not only revolutionise land and water management applications, but will also enable improvements in many other areas — for example, calculating improved coverage of mobile phone towers or creating three-dimensional visualisations of the landscape for improved understanding of potential flood extents;
Northern Australia Land and Water Science Review (the Science Review) - CSIRO coordinated a review in collaboration with over 80 of Australia's leading scientists working on northern land and water issues. The Science Review represents the most comprehensive and thorough review ever undertaken of conventional science and knowledge of issues relevant to the sustainable development of northern Australian land and water; and
Remote Eye Care - CSIRO has developed a telemedicine system called Remote-I to bring specialist eye care to those living in underserviced rural and remote locations. Remote-I provides clinical decision support for primary care providers and nurses to make appropriate health assessments enabling referral to a specialist in a timely manner to avoid disease complications. The system is being validated and used in the Pilbara to manage patients remotely by an ophthalmologist in Perth.

Cooperative Research Centres Program

The Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) program supports end-user driven research collaborations to solve major end-user challenges, many of which are global. CRC activities include research, education and training programs and engagement with SMEs.

The CRC program conducts annual selection rounds. The 15th CRC selection round is currently open and closes on 14 June 2012. The priorities for the 15th CRC selection round are social innovation, clean manufacturing and sustainable regional communities. The sustainable regional communities priority area will be interpreted broadly and will address economic, environmental and social challenges faced by Australia's regional communities. Proposals are expected to be focussed on securing future prosperity and maximising opportunities for regional communities through sectors with long-term competitive advantages, investment in climate and biosecurity resilience, infrastructure, health, jobs, education and increased participation. Proposals could also contribute to sustainable regional communities through investigation of trade opportunities and value-adding to raw products, digital applications, investment in clean energy, water and carbon efficient technologies as well as community leadership and resilience.

Currently there are 14 CRCs with a direct focus on regional Australia. These CRCs contribute to strengthening regional development in areas such as our agriculture and livestock industries, water security, farming systems and grain research. CRCs also contribute to increasing participation of remote communities and improving health outcomes for Indigenous Australians. Of the 190 CRCs funded since 1991, there have been 64 rural-focused CRCs with some $1.2 billion in Commonwealth funding being provided.

National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training

The National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training has been established to undertake scientific research in all aspects of groundwater. It will provide high quality training for postgraduate and postdoctoral students and for professional hydrogeologists, groundwater engineers and groundwater managers. This will ensure that Australia will have the skills and knowledge regarding this most important water resource, and in turn allow groundwater to be a sustainable water source for industries and communities across Australia, and in particular in regional Australia. The total funding commitment from the Australian Research Council and the National Water Commission over the period 2009 to 2014 is approximately $29.5 million.

National Measurement Institute

The NMI interacts with customers and businesses nationwide to provide analytical chemistry testing, peak physical metrology and chemical and biological metrology services. Although much of the physical, chemical and biological services are delivered to metropolitan or urban based clients, the subsequent fan-out effects of benefits to regional areas are significant. NMI measurement services are available to regional business and research groups through laboratories based in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne.

The NMI also has national regulatory responsibility for trade measurement which ensures that all trade transactions based on measurement are accurate and faithfully represented. NMI's trade measurement network includes laboratories in seven major capital cities and 22 regionally based offices. Additionally, trade measurement staff, especially those in outer metropolitan areas, have regional responsibilities and travel to all parts of regional Australia. They also play an active part in disaster affected areas by helping businesses re-build their trade measurement capabilities.

Questacon

Questacon, the National Science and Technology Centre, welcomes over 400,000 visitors per year. This includes school visitors, adults and other members of the community, including those from regional Australia.

Questacon runs outreach programs to make science and technology programs accessible to communities throughout Australia, with a focus on regional areas. These programs include the Shell Questacon Science Circus, which is in its 27th year of operation. This world class outreach program has a significant impact on engaging regional Australia with science. In 2010‑11 nearly 40,000 people experienced a Shell Questacon Science Circus show with 324 schools visited.

During 2010‑11, there were nearly 140,000 visitors to outreach programs and 970 schools visited in regional and remote communities across Australia and in most States and Territories. Approximately ten per cent of all Australian schools were visited and 14 per cent of schools outside capital cities were visited by at least one of the Questacon outreach programs.

Questacon Outreach also presents interactive workshops via video conference to schools in regional areas. The Questacon Digital Studio is continuing to develop the use of digital and online activities to further enhance the ability to engage individuals and communities in regional Australia in science communication. The Questacon Digital Studio is set to expand in reach as more schools have the technology available to facilitate participation.

Inspiring Australia (IA) reaches close to two million people per annum. The IA program is responsible for key activities such as the Prime Minister's Prizes for Science and National Science Week. In 2011‑12, the IA program funded a new $5.0 million grant round to further unlock Australia's potential, with regional Australia identified as a priority area.

Super Science Initiatives

In the 2009‑10 Budget, the Government made targeted investments totalling $1.1 billion over five years to support the following three fields of scientific research: space and astronomy; marine and climate; and future industries.

This investment is ameliorating the impact of the global financial crisis on Australia by providing funds for critical research infrastructure needs across Australia, including in regional areas. These major research infrastructure developments will create highly skilled jobs and provide important research and information gathering capabilities on natural resource management, forestry, agriculture and health to benefit regional Australia.

Tertiary Education & Skills

Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program

Under the Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program, employers of eligible Australian Apprentices at the Certificate III or IV level may attract a commencement incentive of up to $1,500 and a completion incentive of $2,500. Australian Apprentices at the Certificate II level may attract a $1,250 commencement incentive for their employer.

In addition to these incentives, the Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program also contains a range of special and additional incentives. Many of these are targeted at those in traditional trades identified as experiencing a national skills shortage.

To boost training in rural and regional Australia, the Government provides a $1,000 Rural and Regional Skills Shortage Incentive for rural or regional employers who employ an Australian Apprentice undertaking a Certificate III or IV level qualification that leads to an occupation on the National Skills Needs List.

In addition to employer incentives, the Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program contains personal benefits payments for Australian Apprentices.

The Tools For Your Trade payment initiative is available to eligible Australian Apprentices undertaking a Certificate III or IV Australian Apprenticeship leading to an occupation listed on the National Skills Needs List, a Certificate II, III or IV Australian Apprenticeship in an agricultural occupation, and, if in rural and regional Australia, a horticultural occupation. This payment comprises five tax exempt cash payments paid over the life of the Australian Apprenticeship.

Australian Apprenticeships Mentoring Program

The Australian Apprenticeships Mentoring Program was announced in the 2011‑12 Budget as part of the $101.0 million Australian Apprenticeships Mentoring package. The package forms part of the Australian Government's initial response to the recommendations of the Apprenticeships for the 21st Century Expert Panel.

The Mentoring Program seeks to improve Australian Apprenticeship retention rates through the provision of approximately $79.9 million over four years to support targeted mentoring and assistance to Australian Apprentices. The Mentoring Program is targeted at industries and occupations with current or emerging skills needs and Australian Apprentices who may face barriers to participation (e.g. Indigenous Apprentices or Apprentices in remote locations). It is anticipated that Mentoring Projects will target support to the first year of training when Australian Apprentices are most at risk of withdrawing.

Australian Government Skills Connect

Australian Government Skills Connect is an integrated approach designed to help link eligible Australian enterprises with a range of skills and workforce development programs and funding. It is an employers' gateway to information and support that will connect them with Australian Government funding that meets their unique business or industry training and workforce development needs, helping them to build productivity and improve the future of their business. Through Australian Government Skills Connect, industry will have access to a broad range of assistance no matter whether they are in metropolitan, regional, rural or remote areas. The network will help Australian enterprises and industry to make the right connections and get the right advice.

Commonwealth Grant Scheme

The Commonwealth Grant Scheme (CGS) provides funding to higher education providers for Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) in bachelor courses of study and some CSPs in sub-bachelor, non-research postgraduate, medicine and other courses of study specified by the Minister. From 1 January 2012, CGS funding became demand driven, with funding determined by the number of university enrolments. Previously, the number of funded places was capped by Government. Public universities are now able to determine the number of students they enrol in bachelor level courses (excluding medicine) and receive funding for these places. Universities can increase the number of CSPs they offer in particular disciplines in response to employer and student demand.

For non-research postgraduate courses and designated undergraduate courses (medicine, enabling courses and courses of study leading to a diploma, advanced diploma or associate degree), the Commonwealth will provide funding to public universities for an agreed number of CSPs in a given year. All other providers are funded for CSPs based on allocations by the Commonwealth.

In 2012 the Government provided $5.9 billion through the CGS to fund more than 540,000 student places.

Regional loading provides additional funding under the CGS to providers with regional campuses to assist them to meet the higher costs associated with these campuses. Regional loading is provided to universities through a new formula that targets the campuses that need the most support, using a transparent process that responds to student demand. In 2012, the Government increased regional loading by $109.9 million over four years bringing total funding to $268.0 million.

Education Investment Fund

The role of the Education Investment Fund (EIF) is to build a modern, productive, internationally competitive Australian economy by supporting world-leading, strategically-focused infrastructure investments that will transform Australian tertiary education and research.

Over the four competitive rounds of the EIF that have been held to date, $274.5 million (or 21 per cent) of allocated funds went to regional institutions or campuses for teaching and learning infrastructure and $180.9 million for research infrastructure projects. Projects that have received funding include the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania; the Australian Institute for Innovative Materials — Processing and Devices and Retrofitting for Resilient and Sustainable Buildings at the University of Wollongong; and the Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources at the University of Newcastle.

Recognising the important role that regional tertiary institutions play for their students and for their local communities, the Prime Minister announced the EIF Regional Priorities Round in October 2011. This special round will provide $500.0 million over 2011‑12 to 2015-16 to higher education institutions and vocational education training providers across regional Australia.

The Regional Priorities Round has two components: $480.0 million to be allocated to higher education institutions and VET providers via a competitive round; and $20.0 million in seed funding for the development of a multi-partner campus on the mid-north coast of New South Wales.

Since January 2009, more than $4.5 billion has been committed from the EIF for infrastructure projects in the higher education, vocational education and training and research sectors.

Education and Training Advisers

Under the Education and Training Advisers (ETA) program the Government funds the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Australian Industry Group and the National Farmers' Federation (NFF) to support a network of 24 Education and Training Advisers (ETAs) across all States and Territories. The NFF has subcontracted Rural Skills Australia (RSA) to undertake this role.

The RSA advisers necessarily have a strong focus on rural and regional training issues. The key function of ETAs is to work through the peak industry associations to increase their members' understanding of and confidence in the national training system, in particular Australian Apprenticeships and training packages, with the ultimate goal of improving employer take-up of Australian Apprenticeships.

The Building Australia's Future Workforce package announced by the Australian Government in the 2011‑12 Budget provides a $3.0 billion investment for a new approach to deliver the skilled workers the economy needs and ensure more Australians have the opportunity to share in the nation's prosperity. The package includes a number of initiatives that will benefit regional Australia.

One such initiative is the National Workforce Development Fund (NWDF). Through the NWDF the Government will provide $550.1 million over four years from 2011‑12 to support training and workforce development in areas of current and future skills need. Industry will be required to make a co-contribution to training costs. The Government has made a commitment to ensuring that that a fair proportion of funding is provided to those living and working in regional areas.

Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program

The Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP) was established in 2010 with the aim of achieving the Government's target for 20 per cent of higher education enrolments at the undergraduate level to be from people of a low socio-economic status (SES) background by 2020.

The HEPPP consists of two components: a participation component, with the objective of increasing the participation of domestic students from low SES backgrounds in accredited undergraduate qualifications, and supporting the retention and success of those students; and a partnership component, with the objective of raising the aspirations and building the capacity of people from low SES backgrounds to participate in higher education through collaborative activities with stakeholders, such as primary and secondary schools, vocational education and training (VET) providers, other universities, State and Territory Governments, and community organisations.

The Government is investing more than $700.0 million from 2012 to 2015 through the HEPPP.

Industry and Indigenous Skill Centre Program

The Industry and Indigenous Skill Centres Program (IISC) Program provides grant funding to eligible industry and/or Indigenous organisations to assist with the purchase, construction, fit-out or refurbishment of facilities intended for the delivery of VET. The IISC program helps to meet the emerging and ongoing skills needs of industries and Indigenous communities. The Program is open to regional and remote communities and organisations. To date approximately $11.0 million (36 per cent) of IISC funding has been provided to VET providers located outside metropolitan areas.

Arrangements for the next IISC Program funding round are currently being finalised. It is anticipated this funding round will open later in 2012.

Industry Skills Councils

The Government funds a network of 11 Industry Skills Councils, and Auto Skills Australia, to work with stakeholders to identify and assist in developing appropriate solutions to address workforce development needs across small, medium and large enterprises and/or industry sectors and regional and remote Australia. These organisations also perform a crucial role in the national vocational education and training system by engaging industry in the development of training packages. Industry Skills Councils and Auto Skills Australia currently have funding agreements for the period 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2014.

All industry skills councils engage in the regions through their work, but in particular with the resources, agricultural, food production, forestry and transport sectors.

Fly in Fly out Coordinator Pilot Project in Cairns, Queensland

A pilot project has been established in the Cairns region of North Queensland to help connect suitable workers in the region with available mining and construction jobs in remote locations via Fly in Fly out (FIFO) arrangements. Skills DMC, the National Industry Skills Council for the Resources and Infrastructure Industry, was selected from a competitive grant application process to provide the FIFO Coordinator in Cairns for two years (until July 2013). It is working in conjunction with Advance Cairns to help connect job seekers in the region to resources and construction jobs at remote sites. The Australian Government is providing $561,000 to support this project.

The FIFO Coordinator is developing training and employment pathways for local unemployed job seekers and skilled workers to move into remote jobs through FIFO. The FIFO Coordinator has been on the ground since November 2011.

The Language, Literacy and Numeracy Practitioner Scholarships Program

The Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) Practitioner Scholarships Program provides scholarships of up to $5,250 to support successful applicants in undertaking approved study towards an adult LLN practitioner qualification. Fifty scholarships are offered each year following an annual application round. In the current round more than 50 per cent of scholarships have been awarded to students located in regional or remote areas.

Promotion of Excellence in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

The Australian Government has provided $50.1 million in program funding over four years towards the Promotion of Excellence in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (PELTHE). PELTHE is administered by the Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT) in the Department. The OLT provides funding to universities for academics and professional staff to investigate, develop and implement innovations in learning and teaching.

Although not specifically targeted to regional universities, this program includes funding for projects that benefit regional and rural Australia. Recently completed projects include Renewing Rural and Regional Teacher Education Curriculum (RRRTEC). RRRTEC was a collaboration between Deakin University, Charles Sturt University, Edith Cowan University and Monash University. It aimed to better equip teacher educators to prepare teachers to work in rural and regional communities. The project has created resources including a website for all teacher educators, principals, mentors and others supporting new teachers in rural schools. Focusing on the classroom, the school and the community, the website provides a range of high quality materials, curriculum resources and pedagogical strategies.

Structural Adjustment Fund

The Australian Government established the Structural Adjustment Fund (SAF) in the 2009‑10 Budget to assist universities in transitioning to the new higher education landscape. A total of $377.2 million has been approved for the 13 institutions identified as requiring assistance to prepare for the new demand driven funding system with new quality measures in place. Of this amount, nearly half ($117.0 million) went to regional universities.

The SAF will assist universities, particularly in regional and outer metropolitan areas, to adapt to the reforms through:

consolidation of higher education institutions or campuses; and/or
significant collaboration with TAFE institutes and/or other universities; and/or
significant changes in the focus, organisation or operation of institutions or campuses.

Student Income Support

The Review of Student Income Support Reforms reported to the Government on 8 July 2011 and was tabled in Parliament on 14 September 2011. The Government's response provided additional support to young people from regional areas who need to move away from home to study, while maintaining an emphasis on assisting students from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Relocation Scholarships

Recognising that students from regional areas experience higher costs to relocate for study, from 1 January 2012, the Government increased the value of Relocation Scholarships for eligible regional students to $2,000 for each of the second and third years of study.

Workforce participation criteria for Inner Regional students

The concessional workforce participation independence arrangements for ABSTUDY and Youth Allowance that applied to students from Outer Regional, Remote and Very Remote areas were extended to Inner Regional students from 1 January 2012. This delivers on the Government's commitment to remove regional eligibility distinctions and recognises the need for greater assistance for young people from regional areas who need to live away from home to participate in study.

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