Submission to the Review of National ICT Australia (NICTA)

Mr Toss Gascoigne
CHASS Executive Director
21 February 2006

The Council of the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS) has limited contact with NICTA. Because of this, we can make general rather than specific comments on the detailed terms of reference set out for this review.

Our view is that NICTA could take a broader approach in its contacts with the HASS community. The fact that we have had limited contact with NICTA is in itself a comment on the limited vision NICTA has set for itself.

CHASS is an advocacy body established one year ago. It represents the interests of people working in research, education and performance in the humanities, arts and social sciences. Each of our 135 Member Organisations has a stake in information and communications technology, as a part of the basic infrastructure.

It is interesting to observe that the Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council has recently expanded its horizons by appointing an historian to membership. This demonstrates an appreciation that innovation - the middle name of the Council - is not confined to science, engineering and technology. The humanities, arts and social sciences can make a greater contribution to the innovative processes in Australia, but need the right infrastructure and a willingness to engage with our sector.

The first task given to the historian on PMSEIC was to chair a sub-committee examining the topic: Creativity in the Innovation Economy. The broad terms of reference of this inquiry are to look at the ways creative and cultural industries can enhance the creativity of science, technology, engineering and medicine (STEM).

There is a growing recognition that some of the most interesting and fruitful research takes place at what have traditionally been the boundaries which marked out the different disciplines. NICTA's current positioning does seem to limit the possibility of influencing and assisting this growth area.

One of the roles of CHASS is to help build links between the worlds of STEM and HASS, to open possibilities for collaborative work between people working in these sectors.

We are available if you like us to expand on these views.

 

Toss Gascoigne
21 February 2006

Download this submission   [PDF file size: 21.21 kB]   REF: SUB20060221TG

 

For more information, please contact:

Toss Gascoigne

Executive Director

Council of the Humanties, Arts and Social Sciences

Phone: +61 2 6249 1995

director@chass.org.au