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Rural Industries
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 RIRDC
Key Goals RIRDC
Advisory CommitteesFreedom
of Information Statement |
Who We Are
The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) is a statutory Corporation formed in July 1990 under the Primary Industries and Energy Research and Development (PIERD) Act 1989.
It was set up by the Commonwealth Government to work with Australian rural industries on the organisation and financing of their R&D needs. The Corporation also manages research programs and funds for the Government.
The Corporation has a Board of nine directors and employs 18 Canberra-based staff and six part-time interstate Research Managers.
What We Do
RIRDC manages research and development investments on behalf of government and industry for the benefit of the people of Australia.
During 1995-96, the Corporation financed some 518 projects (including scholarships, travel, conferences and workshops) in 26 program areas with a total value of $15.1m. These areas included new and emerging plant and animal industries, and generic programs such as agribusiness, extension, rural education, and climate change.
Our investment funds came from Commonwealth appropriations, voluntary industry contributions, industry levies, Commonwealth dollar for dollar matching funds, and a small amount of royalty income.
In August we invited applications for research projects which addressed our published R&D priorities through advertisements in major newspapers and circulars to research agencies. In September we advertised a small number of post-graduate scholarships. Throughout the year, we sought tenders for commissioned projects, organised workshops, reviewed projects and research needs, evaluated project outcomes and supported researchers and industry persons to attend national and international conferences.
From 1 July 1995 the activities of the Chicken Meat, Egg Industry and Honeybee R&D Councils were incorporated within RIRDC, while the Tobacco R&D Council was abolished and reformed as the Tobacco R&D Corporation. The Dried Fruits R&D Council retained its current structure and relationship with RIRDC.
Our Accountability
The Corporation is responsible to the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy, the Hon John Anderson, to whom it submits a Five-Year Research and Development Plan, an Annual Operating Plan and an Annual Report. The Corporation is also required to consult with and report to the National Farmers' Federation, the Australian Egg Industry Association and the Australian Chicken Meat Federation.
Under section 143 of the PIERD Act, the Minister may give written directions as to the performance of the Corporation's functions and the exercise of its powers. No such directions were given in 1995-96.
In the next five years (1995-2000) we will:
Research Reports
Corporate Documents
Newsletters
Kits/Brochures
Other
APPENDIX 6
Joint Corporation Agroforestry Committee Prof Snow Barlow (Chairman), Dr Peter Chudleigh, Mr Mike Hitchens, Ms Kathy Adams, Dr Roslyn Prinsley
Cashew R&D Co-ordinating Committee Mr Calvin Winks (Chairman), Dr John Downton, Dr Nirinjan Dasari, Mr Peter Shearer, Mr Ian Duncan, Mr Bruce Gowrie Smith, Mr Kesi Kesavan, Dr Roslyn Prinsley.
Chicken Meat Research and Development Committee
Dr Alick Lascelles (Chairman), Dr Errol Best, Prof David Fraser, Dr Ron Macalpine, Prof Ken Buckle, Mr Peter Groves, Dr Rod Ryan, Dr Harvey Westbury, Mr Keith Hyde (Consulted with and reported to the Australian Chicken Meat Federation)
Deer Industry Development Group Dr Peter McInnes (Chairman), Dr Laurie Denholm, Mr David Hart, Mr Eric Loft, Prof Alan Trounson. (Consulted with and reported to Deer Farmers' Federation of Australia. Disbanded in September 1995.)
Egg Industry Research and Development Committee
Dr Alick Lascelles (Chairman), Dr Clive jackson, Dr Bob Pym, Mr Malolm Peacock, Mr Geoff Munzberg, Mr Warwick Schofield, Mr Keith Hyde (Consults with and reports to the Australian Egg Industry Association)
Equine R&D Advisory Committee Ms Jane Vincent (Chairperson), Prof John Yovich, Mr Peter Orton, Prof Keith Hughes, Mr Leslie Young, Mr Lee Freedman, Mr Carl O’Dwyer, Dr John Bourke, Prof Alan Trounson. (Consults with and reports to the Australian Conference of Principal Clubs and the Australian Horse Council)
Farm Health and Safety Group
Dr Lyn Fragar, mr Steven Lack, Ms Christine Rayward, Dr Elke Scheurmann, Dr Neill Stacey, Mr Keith Hyde (replaced by Dr Rob Brown) (Manages the jointly funded Farmer OH&S Program)
Goat Fibre Sub-Committee Prof Alan Trounson (Chairman), Mr Andrew James, Mr Alan Smith, Mr Fred Moylan, Mr Ray Thomas. (Consults with and reports to Australian Cashmere Growers' Association, Australian Mohair Breeders Association, Goat Industry Council of Australia)
Honeybee Research and Development Committee
Mr Graham Kleinschmidt (Chairman), Mr Michael Hornitzky, Mr Kevin McMenemy, Mr Trevor Weatherhead (resigned 29 February 1996), Ms Kathryn Edwards (Consults with and reports to the Federal Council of Australian Apiarists’ Associations)
Rice R&D Committee Mr Norm McAllister (Chairman), Mr Peter Draper, Mr Randall Williams, Mr Gary Condon, Mr David Murray, Mr Peter Sheppard, Mr Jim Wilson, Mr Mark Martin, Mr Leigh Vial, Mr Stephen Plant, Mr Noel Graham, Mr Geoff Wright, Mr Stuart Nixon, Mr Daryl Gibbs, Mr Gerry Lawson, Mr Brian Vial, Mr Ian Davidge, Mr David Woodside, Dr Don McDonald, Dr Kath Bowmer, Prof Don Marshall, Dr David Evans. (Consults with and reports to Ricegrowers' Association of Australia)
Seed Industry Sub-Committee Mr Rodney Field (Chairman), Mr David Pengelly, Mr Hugh Roberts, Mr Pat Trethowan, Mr Jock Krietals, Dr Rob Brown. (Consults with and reports to GCA Seeds Committee)
Tea Tree Oil R&D Advisory Committee Mr Tony Gleeson (Chairman), Dr David Evans, Mr Christopher Dean, Mr Richard Davis, Dr Dick Groot-Obbink, Mr Glenn Stotter, Mr Robert Tillman. (Consults with and reports to Australian Tea Tree Industry Association)
Wildflower & Native Plants R&D Advisory Committee Mr Tony Gleeson (Chairman), Dr David Evans, Ms Beverley Karpinski, Ms Nina Foulkes-Taylor, Mr Ken Young, Mr Jeffrey Hayler, Mr Denis Tricks, Dr David Tranter, Mr Jolyon Burnett. APPENDIX 7
ANNUAL REPORT OF SELECTION COMMITTEE
Nominations were sought from representative organisations for RIRDC and the following people were appointed to the selection committee:
Dr Doreen Clark (Presiding Officer), of Analchem Bioassy Pty Ltd; Ian Douglas, President of the Ricegrowers Association of Australia; John MacKenzie, Treasurer of the National Farmers Federation; Malcolm Peacock, President of the Egg Industry Association; John Wyld, President of the Cattle Council of Australia; Gisela Marven, President of the Australian Chicken Meat Federation; and Justine Hall, Vice-president of the Goat Industry of Australia.
Consultants were hired to carry out administrative duties and to perform executive searches. Advertisements were placed in selected national and industry newspapers and periodicals in mid-February.
To get the best possible candidates, the Committee opted for a combination of advertised selection and executive searches.
The committee received 342 applications which were closely reviewed and finally a shortlist of ten candidates produced the six successful people. In coming to its decision, the committee sought breadth of experience in an individual category, a real affinity with the rural sector, consideration of age, geography and gender representation, practical farming expertise and experience in evaluating and commercialising research and development. The committee also sought to provide some continuity of knowledge and experience on the Board.
In April, the Committee made six nominations to the Minister who accepted them and appointed the new directors on 29 May 1996. The new directors are Dr Martin Barbetti, Mr Sam Catalano, Mr Peter Chapman and Ms Jan Davis. The two Directors who were reappointed were Professor Margaret Britz and Mr John Herbert.
COSTS
Expenditure by the Selection Committee for the period ended 30 June 1996 was as follows: $ Presiding Member Fees & Expenses 3,775.65 Selection Committee Travel & Expenses 4,245.51 Consultants Fees & Expenses 47,668.95 Applicants Travel & Expenses 9,644.65 Advertising 22,931.50 Other 2,043.58 $90,309.84.
FOI Contact Officer
General enquires about access to documents or other matters relating to FOI should be directed to:
Ms Caroline Webb Office Administrator Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation PO Box 4776 KINGSTON ACT 2604
Telephone: (06) 272 4735 Fax: (06) 272 5877
FOI Procedures & Information Sources
Facilities for access to documents are available at the Corporation office.
A full listing of projects funded by the Corporation during 1995-96 is contained in Appendix 3 of this report as well as in RIRDC’s ‘Program Plans’ booklet. Final reports received during 1995-96 are listed in Appendix 4 of this report. Funding information on individual projects is available, on request, from the Corporation.
Information about RIRDC projects is also available on our home page (http://www.rirdc.gov.au), RIRDC's research paper series of published final reports, its research compendiums (which contain one page summaries of all completed projects), and through the Australian Rural Research in Progress (ARRIP) database (which can be accessed through most Australian research and public libraries).
No requests under the Freedom of Information Act were received by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation in 1995-96.
Categories of Documents Held
Category Nature Access Administration files D Annual operating plans files D Annual reports files, publications D, C Applications, guidelines and contracts files, forms D, C Assets register files D Financial management files D Five year plans files, publications D, C Project lists files, publications D, C R&D program plans files, publications D, C Research reports files, publications D, C Workshop reports files, publications D, C
Access C: documents customarily made available. Access D: documents not customarily made available due to privacy or commercial-in-confidence reasons.
Abbreviations
ABAREABOA - Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource EconomicsAustralian Bibliography of Agriculture
ACIAR - Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
AIAS - Australian Institute Agricultural Science
AMAANU Australian Medical AssociationAustralian National University
ARLP Australian Rural Leadership Program
ARRIP Australian Rural Research in Progress
ATTIA Australian Tea Tree Industry Association AV Agriculture Victoria
AWA Agriculture Western Australia
BRS Bureau of Resource Sciences
CALM Department of Conservation and Land Management (WA)
CMRDC Chicken Meat Research and Development Council
CPRC CRC CRDC Conference of Principal Racing Clubs Cooperative Research CentreCotton Research and Development Corporation
CSIRO Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
DEST Department Environment, Sport and Territories
DFFA Deer Farmers Federation of Australia
DFRDC Dried Fruits Research and Development Council
DIST Department of Industry, Science and Technology
DPIE Department of Primary Industries and Energy
DPIF Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries (TAS)
DRDC Dairy Research and Development Corporation
EIRDC Egg Industry Research and Development Council
ERDCFOI Energy Research and Development CorporationFreedom of Information
FRDC Fisheries Research and Development Corporation F
WPRDC Forest & Wood Products Research & Development Corporation
GRDC Grains Research and Development Corporation
GVP gross value of production
GWRDC Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation
HBRDC Honeybee Research and Development Council
HRDC Horticultural Research and Development Corporation Abbreviations
IPM Integrated pest management IWS International Wood Secretariat
LWRRDC Land and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation
MDBC Murray Darling Basin Commission MRC Meat Research Corporation
NFF National Farmers Federation
OECD Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
PIERD Primary Industries and Energy Research and Development
PRDC Pig Research and Development Corporation
QDPI Queensland Department of Primary Industries
QUT Queensland University of Technology R&D research and development
RAA Ricegrowers Association of Australia
RDC Research and Development Corporation
RIRDC Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation
SADPI SA Department of Primary Industries
SARDI SA Research and Development Institute
SRDC Sugar Research and Development Corporation
TRDC Tobacco Research and Development Corporation UA University of Adelaide
UCQ University of Central Queensland
UM University of Melbourne
UN United Nations
UNSW University of New South Wales
USFDAWTO United States Food and Drug AdministrationWorld Trade Organisation
Last updated: 20 October 1996
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