4 INNOVATION STATISTICS

4.1 RECENTLY RELEASED INNOVATION STATISTICS
4.1.1 INNOVATION IN AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS
4.1.2 INNOVATION AND SKILLS
4.2 INNOVATION TECHNICAL REFERENCE GROUP (TRG)
4.3 SOME USEFUL NON-ABS WEBSITES ON INNOVATION STATISTICS

4.1 RECENTLY RELEASED INNOVATION STATISTICS

4.1.1 INNOVATION IN AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS

Results from the 2005 Innovation survey have been progressively available since December 2006 in the ABS publication Innovation in Australian Business, 2005 (cat. no. 8158.0). Data is available for Skills and capabilities sought; Collaboration; Source of Funds; Barriers; Drivers; Source of ideas; Methods for acquiring knowledge; and Intellectual property protection.

For further information about the 2005 Innovation survey outputs, contact Peter Hodgson, Innovation and Technology Business Statistics Centre, ABS on (08) 9360 5367.

4.1.2 INNOVATION AND SKILLS

In May 2007 the Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources (DITR) released the publication Aspects of Skills Shortages and Innovation in Australian Businesses. By analysing the 2003 Innovation data, this publication identifies the types of skills sought by Australian businesses for innovation and, the types of skills that hampered innovation due to their shortages. The analysis was carried out using industry and state/territory dimension. For further information about this publication, contact Bob Bennett, Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources on (02) 6213 7352.

4.2 INNOVATION TECHNICAL REFERENCE GROUP (TRG) The Innovation Technical Reference Group, set up to provide advice to the ABS on innovation data collection issues, met in the ABS on 15 March 2007. Members from the following key stakeholder organisations participated in the meeting: Department of Communication, Information Technology and Arts, CSIRO, DITR, Productivity Commission, DEST and the Ministry of Treasury. Key items discussed in the meeting include: Past microdata collaboration between the ABS and some key stakeholders and the future direction of such collaborative work. Discussion on the paper presented by the productivity commission on Innovation and Productivity and, on the paper presented by the ABS on Innovation and Business Use of Information Technology (BUIT). Main achievements in the 2005 Innovation survey in terms of data quality and data outputs. Development of 2006-07 Integrated Business Characteristics Survey including innovation specific content. An overview of International working groups in innovation such as National Experts in Science and Technology Indicators (NESTI) and Working Party for Industry Statistics (SWIC) which are both OECD working groups. Study of International comparison of innovation rates. Tasmanian Innovation Framework.

The next meeting is scheduled for 8 June 2007.
4.3 SOME USEFUL NON-ABS WEBSITES ON INNOVATION STATISTICS

Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources (DITR)
http://www.industry.gov.au

Department of Education, Science and Technology (DEST)
http://www.dest.gov.au

Productivity Commission (PC)
http://www.pc.gov.au

Backing Australia's ability website
http://backingaus.innovation.gov.au

Biotechnology Australia
http://www.biotechnology.gov.au