Industry, science and resources portfolio

MAJOR OBJECTIVES AND PLANNED ACHIEVEMENTS

Department of Industry, Science and Resources

The major objectives and planned achievements for the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (ISR) in 2001-02 include:

• 
  creating an environment in Australia that enhances and magnifies the acquisition and management of knowledge;
  
• 
  improving basic research, business R&D and general commercialisation levels;
  
• 
  improving the competitive position of Australian business;
  
• 
  providing a domestic and international policy framework that encourages competitive and sustainable energy use in Australia;
  
• 
  ensuring that regional Australia has the same service quality in investment attraction and facilitation as the rest of Australia and that information regarding this is effectively communicated;
  
• 
  contributing to the reform of business tax to improve Australia’s international competitiveness and maximise growth; and
  
• 
  ensuring the growth of a competitive sport and recreation sector into the next century.
  

IP Australia

The major objectives and planned achievements for IP Australia in 2001-02 are to:

• 
  implement new intellectual property systems (including a new design system, innovation patent and Madrid protocol) that will help deliver world class search, examination and supporting services that are competitive in cost and quality with those offered by other Intellectual Property Offices;
  
• 
  implement further business process improvements, including the development of state of the art information management systems, that will allow a more effective delivery of services to our customers, wherever they are located;
  
• 
  enhance our customer service and delivery mechanisms so that we can add value in each and every interaction with our customers;
  
• 
  maintain the existing programs to improve awareness, understanding and effective use of intellectual property;
  
• 
  implement a 12 month "grace period" to protect a patent application against invalidation by self-publication and prior public use;
  
• 
  strengthen the examination of patent novelty and inventive step so that these criteria for patentability are more closely aligned with international standards;
  
• 
  establish and fund an independent, multi-disciplinary Intellectual Property Research Centre to assist intellectual property policy formulation and the development of best commercial practice in the use of Intellectual Property;
  
• 
  further enhance our role in the Asia-Pacific region through cooperative development activities and other initiatives; and
  
• 
  enhance our international profile, through active engagement with organisations such as WIPO, WTO and APEC.