AGY-4155 | NSW Ministry for Science and Medical Research

Full description

The Ministry for Science and Medical Research was established by Proclamation, to be effective from 1 December 2003. The BioUnit branch was removed from the Cabinet Office and added to the new Ministry. (1)

The Ministry for Science and Medical Research co-ordinated and provided advice to the NSW Government on medical and scientific research and innovation, administered grants programs, and developed research related policies and programs. The Ministry was also responsible for co-ordinating State Government agency activities, facilitating private sector investment, and promoting public, industry, and inter-state collaborations. (2)

In 2005, the Ministry for Science and Medical Research consisted of a Director General; an Executive Director of Policy and Operations responsible for Advice on Strategic Policy Issues and Opportunities, BioFirst Strategy, Ethics, and Commonwealth-State programs and legislation; Director of Science and Innovation responsible for Science Stategy, Stakeholder liaison science and innovation, Co-operative Research Centres, Water Research Strategy; and a Director of Medical Research responsible for Health and Medical Research Plan, Spinal Injury Fund, Mental Health and Neuroscience Strategy, and Strategy for South West Sydney.(3)

Key programs administered by the Ministry consisted of -

* BioFirst Strategy - composed of "BioPlatform" which provided funding and support to biotechnology research and research facilities, including medical and agricultural biotechnology, "BioBusiness" programs which assisted in the translation of research into commercial products, and "BioEthics" which included funding for conferences;

*Spinal Cord Injury and Conditions Fund - established to promote biomedical research into spinal cord injury and neurological conditions, consisting of a Research Grants Program, Spinal Exchange Program, and the Making Connections website and e-newsletter;

*Medical Research Plan - the development of a plan for improvements in medical research in NSW, built on the recommendations contained in the report "NSW Research - A Prescription for Health", commissioned by the Minister for Science and Medical research and released in March 2004;

*Innovation and Science - the development of a whole of Government approach to science and innovation activities, raising the profile of scientific research, promoting scientific activities to the community and potential investors, promoting collaboration, partnerships, and commercial application of research, convergence of technologies between disciplines, and developing strategies to enhance the attractiveness of careers in science, innovation and research. (4)

In 2005, the Ministry for Science and Medical Research was responsible for the following legislation: Human Cloning and Other Prohibited Practices Act 2003, Research Involving Human Embryos (New South Wales) Act 2003, Cancer Institute Act 2003 (NSW) (joint responsibility with NSW Health), New South Wales Cancer Council Act 1995, Garvan Institute of Medical Research Act 1984 (NSW), Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology Act 1985. (5)

The Ministry for Science and Medical Research was abolished on 3 March 2006 and all its branches were transferred to the Department of State and Regional Development. (6)

Endnotes
1. NSW Government Gazette No.188, 5 December 2003, p.10932.
2. NSW Ministry for Science and Medical Research Annual Report 2003-2004, p.5, www.msmr.nsw.gov.au, accessed 11 March 2005.
3. Organisational Chart, NSW Ministry for Science and Medical Research Annual Report 2003-2004, www.msmr.nsw.gov.au, accessed 23 March 2005.
4. NSW Ministry for Science and Medical Research Annual Report 2003-2004, www.msmr.nsw.gov.au, accessed 11 March 2005.
5. NSW Ministry for Science and Medical Research Annual Report 2003-2004, www.msmr.nsw.gov.au, accessed 23 March 2005.
6. NSW Government Gazette No.30, 3 March 2006, p.1054.