RIRDC ANNUAL OPERATIONAL PLAN 2007-2008

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RIRDC ANNUAL OPERATIONAL PLAN
2007-2008

Appendices
A. Transmittal letter
B. Notification of significant events
C. Consultation with stakeholders
D. Corporate charter
E. RIRDC R&D Advisory Committees
F. The PIERD Act (Extract)
G. List of Abbreviations
H. Compliance Checklist

Transmittal letter

B. Notification of significant events
The Corporation has reviewed this Plan in terms of section 15 of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997, which defines a particular class of proposal as ‘significant’ and notifiable to Ministers. The Corporation confirms, in the context of section 15, that there are no ‘significant’ proposals in this Plan that should be drawn to the attention of Ministers.

C. Consultation with stakeholders
RIRDC has two organisations prescribed by section 7 of its legislation. This requires RIRDC to report on its activities each financial period. This accountability runs parallel to RIRDC’s Annual Report to the Minister and the Parliament. Reporting during 2006–07 occurred as follows:

National Farmers’ Federation on 28 November 2006

The Australian Chicken Meat Federation on 29 November 2006

The Corporation has also consulted with the following industry bodies:

Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

National Farmers’ Federation

Australian Chicken Meat Federation Incorporated

Deer Industry Association of Australia

Australian Horse Industry Council

Australian Racing Board

Ricegrowers’ Association of Australia

Australian Honey Bee Industry Council

Kangaroo Industries Association of Australia

The Australian Buffalo Industry

D. Corporate charter
Enabling Legislation and the Board
RIRDC’s enabling legislation is the Primary Industries and Energy Research and Development Act1989 (Commonwealth of Australia)(the PIERD Act). (see Appendix F on page *)

The RIRDC Board is accountable to the Parliament of Australia through the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry.

Sets strategic direction and establishes policies for the Corporation

Oversights operational and functional performance against budget and other key performance indicators on behalf of stakeholders

Core Business
To facilitate a more profitable, dynamic and sustainable rural sector by maximising the knowledge outcomes from our R&D investments for Australian industries and government in:

New rural industries

Established rural industries

National rural issues

Core principles in RIRDC’s approach to its mandate are:

Collaboration – RIRDC consults widely with our industry and government stakeholders to determine investment strategies and priorities and seeks strong collaborative arrangements with other funding partners and research providers where this can enhance outcomes

Facilitation – RIRDC facilitates more effective use of community and scientific expertise in the creation of new knowledge and its adoption

Innovation – Fundamentally RIRDC invests in innovative solutions to the problems and constraints facing its key stakeholders

Stakeholders

The Australian Government on behalf of rural industries and taxpayers

Industry funders

Australian community

Primary Clients

For RIRDC related industries, all participants in the marketing chain (producers, processors, distributors and consumers)

On RIRDC’s strategic cross-sectoral program, the National Farmers’ Federation on behalf of all rural industries

Industry Consultations

Communications channels between RIRDC and rural industries meet two essential functions – accountability and bringing industry influence to bear on the research agenda

At the peak industry level, the Corporation is accountable to:

National Farmers’ Federation

Australian Chicken Meat Federation

All of the research programs and programs have reference steering committees with stakeholder membership

Reporting to Stakeholders

There are four key accountability documents for stakeholders:

A five-year Strategic Plan which sets out strategies, directions and performance indicators for the Corporation
Five-year R&D Plans for each industry program within emerging industries and established rural industries
An Annual Operational Plan which sets out yearly objectives to give effect to the Five-year Strategic Plan, the five-year industry plans, the annual budget and annual research priorities
The Annual Report which sets out achievements against objectives, budgets and administration costs

E. RIRDC R&D Advisory Committees
Buffalo Research Development Committee
Chair: Mr Douglas Robertson (phone 02 6848 5315)

Chicken Meat Research and Development Committee
Chair: Mr Barry Shay (phone 07 3398 1766)

Deer Industry Research and Development Committee
Chair: Ms Nola Anderson (phone 03 5626 7013) Equine Research and Development Committee
Chair: Ms Jane Vincent (phone 02 4849 4551) Fodder Industry Research and Development Committee
Chair: Mr Don Law (phone 07 5446 0182

Honeybee Research and Development Committee
Chair: Mr Des Cannon (phone 02 6236 3294)

Joint Venture Agroforestry Program Committee
Chair: Dr Glen Kile (phone 03 9614 7544) Kangaroo Research and Development Committee
Chair: Mr Brian Topper (phone 02 9261 1900) Organic Produce Research and Development Committee
Chair: Mr Don Fraser (phone 03 9841 7794) Pasture Seeds Research and Development Committee
Chair: Mrs Penny Hendy (phone 03 5865 8312) Rare and Natural Fibres Research and Development Committee
Chair: Dr Carol Mathew (phone 03 5429 1316) Rice Research and Development Committee
Chair: Mr Daryl Gibbs (phone 02 6993 1511) Tea Tree Oil Research and Development Committee
Chair: Ms Pat Bolster (phone 02 6674 2991) Wildflower & Native Plants Research and Development Committee
Chair: Ms Christine Horsman(phone 08 8389 3057)

F. The PIERD Act (Extract)
The relevant objects, functions and statutory powers of R&D corporations are specified in the PIERD Act as follows:

Section 3: Objects
The objects of the RIRDC, deriving from section 3 of the PIERD Act, are to make provision for the funding and administration of research and development relating to primary industries with a view to:

a. increasing the economic, environmental and social benefits to members of primary industries and to the community in general by improving the production, processing, storage, transport or marketing of the products of primary industries;

b. achieving the sustainable use and sustainable management of natural resources;

c. making more effective use of the resources and skills of the community in general and the scientific community in particular; and

d. improving accountability for expenditure upon research and development activities in relation to primary industries.

Section 11. Functions
The functions of the RIRDC, deriving from section 11 of the PIERD Act, are:

a. to investigate and evaluate the requirements for research and development in relation to the primary industry or class of primary industries in respect of which it was established and, on the basis of such investigation and evaluation: i. to prepare an R&D plan under section 19;
ii. to review and revise the plan; and b. to prepare an annual operational plan under section 25 for each financial year;

c. to coordinate or fund the carrying out of R&D activities that are consistent with the annual operational plan prepared by the Corporation and in force at the time;

d. to monitor, evaluate and report to the Parliament, the Minister and its representative organisations on R&D activities that are coordinated or funded, wholly or partly, by the Corporation;

e. to facilitate the dissemination, adoption and commercialisation of the results of research and development in relation to the primary industry or class of primary industries in respect of which the Corporation was established; and

f. such other functions as are conferred on the Corporation by this Act or any other Act.

33 Expenditure of money of R&D Corporations:

(1) An R&D Corporation’s money may be spent only: (a) for the purpose of funding R&D activities included in the broad groupings of R&D activities specified in an annual operational plan prepared by the Corporation and in force when payments are made; and

(b) in payment or discharge of the expenses and liabilities incurred by the Corporation in the performance of its functions or the exercise of its powers; and

(i) under sections 68 and 81 to the Corporation’s directors; or
(ii) under section 89 to members of committees established by the Corporation under that section; and

(d) in payment to the Commonwealth of amounts payable under section 34; and

(da) in payment to the Commonwealth of amounts payable under subsection 18(3) of the Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Act 1991; and

(db) if the Corporation is established in respect of forest industries—in payment of amounts for which the R&D Corporation is liable under subsections 10(8) and 11(9) of the Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Act 1991; and

(e) in payment of amounts in respect of expenses (including the payment of remuneration and allowances) incurred by a Selection Committee in performing its function, and exercising its powers, in relation to the selection of directors for appointment to the Corporation; and

(f) in making any other payments that the Corporation is authorised or required to make under this Act.

(2) An R&D Corporation is liable to pay the expenses, and discharge the liabilities, incurred by a Selection Committee in connection with the performance of its function, and the exercise of its powers, in relation to the selection of directors for appointment to the Corporation.

Section 25 Annual Operational Plans:

25 Annual operational plans

(1) An R&D Corporation must, for each financial year during which an R&D plan is in force, prepare, in written form, an annual operational plan that is expressed to relate to that financial year.

(2) The annual operational plan is to:

(a) specify the broad groupings of R&D activities that the R&D Corporation proposes to fund, wholly or partly, during the financial year; and

(b) describe how and to what extent funding those activities will:

(i) #9; give effect to the R&D plan in force during that financial year; and
(ii)in particular, pursue the strategies outlined in the R&D plan and help to achieve the objectives described in the R&D plan; and

(i) the total amounts likely to be spent by the Corporation in respect of each broad grouping of R&D activities the Corporation proposes to fund during the financial year; and
(ii) the total of the amounts likely to be spent by the Corporation under section 33, other than paragraph 33(1)(a), during the financial year; and
(iii) the total of the amounts referred to in subparagraphs (i) and (ii); and
(iv) the total of the amounts that are likely to be paid to the Corporation during the financial year (other than the amounts paid under section 30 or 30A).

(3) A reference in this section to R&D activities that an R&D Corporation proposes to fund includes a reference to R&D activities that the Corporation is prepared, subject to its examination of specific proposals, to fund.

(4) If charge imposed on forest products under Schedule 8 to the Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Act 1999 or under the repealed Forest Industries Research Import Charge Act 1993 is attached as a levy to an R&D Corporation established in respect of forest industries, the R&D Corporation’s annual operational plan must include, in the broad groupings of R&D activities that the R&D Corporation proposes to fund, R&D activities that are relevant to forest products of a kind that are imported.

G. List of abbreviations

ABC	Australian Broadcasting Corporation
ACCC	Australian Competition and Consumers’ Corporation
AFB	American Foulbrood
AFIA	Australian Fodder Industry Association
AGO	Australian Greenhouse Office
ALTRIG	Australian Low Rainfall Tree Improvement Group
ANU	Australian National University
AQIS	Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service
AWI	Australian Wool Innovation
CRC	Cooperative Research Centre
CRDC	Cotton Research and Development Corporation
CSIRO	Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
DPI	Department of Primary Industries, Sustainability and Environment
DSE	Dry sheep equivalent
EFB	European Foulbrood
EMS	Environment Management Systems
FECA	Flower Export Council of Australia
FFP	Farm Forestry Program
FTA	Free Trade Agreements
GRDC	Grains Research and Development Corporation
GWRDC	Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation
HACCP	Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point
HAL	Horticulture Australia Limited
HELP	Hydrology Environment Life Policy
IBDV	Infectious Bursal Disease Virus
IFOAM	International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements
IP	Intellectual Property
ISO	International Standards Organisation
IT	Information Technology
JVAP	Joint Venture Agroforestry Program
LWA	Land and Water, Australia
MDBC	Murray-Darling Basin Commission
MDV	Marek’s disease virus
MLA	Meat and Livestock Australia
MTG	Master TreeGrower program
NDV	Newcastle disease virus
NESB	Non-English speaking background
NFF	National Farmers’ Federation
NIR	Near Infrared Spectroscopy
NRM	Natural Resource Management
NTBC	Northern Territory Buffalo Council
OECD	Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
OFA	Organic Federation of Australia
PHA	Plant Health Australia
QA	Quality Assurance
QAMA	Quality Assurance Management and Analysis
QDPI	Queensland Department of Primary Industries
RC&M	Research Coordination and Management
RDCs	Research and Development Corporations
RGA	RiceGrowers’ Association
RIRDC	Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation
SRDC	Sugar Research and Development Corporation
SWE	Sustainable Wildlife Enterprise
SWOT	Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
UNESCO	United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
VenStat	Venison statistics recording and analysis program
WPSA	World’s Poultry Science Association
WTO	World Trade Organisation

RIRDC Program abbreviations

NPP	New Plant Products
NAP	New Animal Products
AFO	Asian Food
EOI	Essential Oils and Plant Extracts
RNF	Rare Natural Animal Fibres
WNP	Wildflowers and Native Plants
TTO	Tea Tree Oil
BBE	Bioenergy, Bioproducts and Energy
CME	Chicken Meat
HBE	Honeybee
RIC	Rice
HOR	Horse
FCR	Fodder Crops
PSE	Pasture Seeds
DEE	Deer
BUF	Buffalo
AFT	Agroforestry and Farm Forestry
EFM	Environment and Farm Management
RWS	Rangelands and Wildlife Systems
ORP	Organic Systems
GCL	Global Competitiveness
FIB	Food Integrity and Biosecurity
RPLS	Rural People and Learning Systems
RLP	The RIRDC Leadership Program
CVCB	Cooperative Venture for Capacity Building
FHS	Collaborative Partnership for Farm Health and Safety
CCV	Climate Change and Variability

H. Compliance checklist
Not available in this online version.

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