June 2005
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From the CEO's desk
It was tremendous news to hear the Australian Government’s announcement of $2.5m transitional funding for both CRC Reef and Rainforest as we enter the last financial year of the two CRCs. The transitional funding will enable key projects and capabilities to be maintained. Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator the Hon. Ian Campbell, will administer this transitional fund and also the new Commonwealth Environmental Research Facility (CERF). There is $100m allocated to this national fund over four years. This is a significant development for R&D in Australia: these funds provide the Environment portfolio with substantial new resources to build the knowledge-base needed for sustainable use and conservation of Australia’s environmental assets. For more information, visit www.deh.gov.au/programs/cerf $40m of the total $100m has been allocated to establish a new research centre, the Marine and Tropical Science Research Facility, to replace the two CRCs: Reef and Rainforest. Minister Campbell has reiterated the national importance of the Great Barrier Reef, Torres Strait, the Reef catchments and Wet Tropics rainforest that occurs in the north Queensland region. Once the government announces how the new Marine and Tropical Research Facility will be established, I hope the participants in the two CRCs, the research providers and end-users of the research, will take full advantage of the opportunity to collaborate in this new tropical research facility. Russell Reichelt
Abridged Media Release from Senator the Hon. Ian Cambell(10/5/05) www.deh.gov.au/minister/env/2005/mr10may405.html $100 million for environment researchAustralia's position as world leader in environment research has been strengthened with Federal Budget funding of $100 million over five years to establish world class hubs of environmental research, the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell said today. The funding will be provided under the Commonwealth Environment Research Facility (CERF), announced by the Prime Minister in September 2004. Senator Campbell said CERF was aimed at creating national research hubs and building critical mass in areas of Australia's environmental research strengths and national research priorities. CERF specifically supports proposals that demonstrate strong public good outcomes. "Under the CERF programme, the Government will invest $40 million to support world-class research on the Great Barrier Reef and tropical rainforests. Funding of $3 million will initially be provided in 2005–06 to establish the Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility and to consolidate the work of the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for the Great Barrier Reef and the CRC for Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Management. The remaining amount of $60 million will be allocated through national funding rounds, the first of which will be conducted in 2005-06 with successful proposals receiving funding from 2006-07.” The research facilities will support environmental public policy objectives in a range of critical areas, drawing on multiple disciplines, professional partnerships and existing research efforts. The programme will operate from 2005-06 to 2009-10. |
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PO Box 772 Townsville
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