|
CSIRO’s Extensive Consultation
Bendigo Advertiser
19/07/05
Gil Rosier (The Advertiser, July 16) in her daily letter writing campaign against GM crops, has now decided to attack CSIRO for what she claims is a lack of “openness” in relation to research activities.
CSIRO’s research is aligned with Australia’s National Research Priorities, which where announced by the Prime Minister in 2002 and target four key areas of national significance:
- An environmentally sustainable Australia
- Promoting and maintaining good health
- Frontier technologies for building and transforming Australian industries
- Safeguarding Australia.
CSIRO consults extensively with the community and the industries in which it works. During my employment at CSIRO a considerable amount of time was spent liaising with agricultural industries – such as grain, oilseed, pasture, dairy, red meat etc. These industries had formulated their strategic plans and CSIRO assessed these alongside their research capabilities to see where the two could be aligned. After opportunities were identified, the two groups came together to ascertain the most efficient and cost effective way forward. This could involve research collaborations with other Australian research groups or partnerships with private agribusiness representatives and international research and development organisations.
Also, one must recognise that while CSIRO employees are experts in a given discipline, this does not necessarily make them experts on all topics. For example, a scientist from CSIRO Marine Research would not necessarily provide an expert comment on the regeneration capacity of a wild grass. For this reason, CSIRO, like all organisations must have a policy for public comment – to ensure its international reputation, for excellent science, is maintained.
In the interests of “openness”, I would encourage Ms Rosier to detail to the Bendigo community, the membership of “GE Free Bendigo” and what process of consultation it undertakes in developing policy positions.
Paula Fitzgerald
Executive Director
Agrifood Awareness Australia Limited
Canberra
|
