Neville Stevens to head CRC oversight

James Riley
Monday, 19 July 2010 23:41

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

Industry development policy for the tech sector seems to make a pilgrimage into the sunlight once every three years in a carefully choreographed dance with the electoral cycle.

And so Industry Minister Kim Carr's appointment of Neville Stevens - the proverbial safe pair of hands - as chairman of the Cooperative Research Centre Committee should have been expected.

Mr Stevens is chairman of Australia's flagship information technology research outfit NICTA and a long management history in tech industry in both the public and private sectors, including a lengthy stint running the former Department of Communications, IT and the Arts as departmental secretary.

He is also chairman of tech services firm AC3, has extensive experience in commercialisation issues and venture capital raising.

Senator Carr said Mr Stevens would advise him on applications for CRC Program funding, as well as monitoring and reviewing the performance of individual CRCs and the overall program.

"Mr Stevens has wide experience and strong strategic management skills as well as an excellent understanding of what drives the commercialisation and use of research, particularly in the information technology and communication sectors," Senator Carr said.

Mr Stevens takes up the five-year appointment this week, taking over from Dr Peter Jonson, who chaired the committee through the implementation of changes to the CRC program recommended by the Mary O'Kane's review in 2008.

He is already a member of Senator Carr's IT Industry Innovation Council and retains his role at NICTA.