Australia’s marine science and technology plan: an action plan for Australia’s Oceans Policy

Abstract

Australia’s Oceans Policy (AOP) is a new Commonwealth (Federal) government policy with sweeping implications for the management of the growing and diverse marine sectors dependent on the nation’s vast marine territory. Its theme of responsible use and protection in the context of ecologically sustainable development provides an overarching and common framework with interfaces between federal and State governments at all levels while accommodating a host of pre-existing governmental regimes and jurisdictions and international treaty obligations. Primary vehicles for the implementation of the Policy will be ‘Regional Marine Plans’. The accompanying Marine Science and Technology Plan is intended as the basis for federal actions, such as priority setting for the government’s scientific and technical capacities, to help implement the AOP. Three programmes and 28 separate objectives are defined which detail specific needs in various sectoral or scientific areas.

Science and technology will play a critical role in the implementation of the AOP. Rather than being seen as a service resource for the execution of user-driven AOP requirements, Australian scientific and technological knowledge, expertise and infrastructure and their strategic enhancement should be recognized collectively as a key component of the AOP itself and supported for their cumulative benefit in fulfilling the objectives of the Policy.