The Australian National Audit Office report on the National Innovation and Science Agenda is out and it is pretty positive. This will be a relief to the agencies involved, the ANAO does not muck about when it finds fault, demonstrated by its excoriating analysis last Christmas of the VET FEE HELP disgrace. Overall, and with its standard careful qualifications, the Office reports NISA is not a bad bit of work, with “suitable”, “adequate,” “effective” popping up throughout. NISA is a bit of a grab-bag of programmes with not that much money attached ($1.1bn over four years) but it represents the PM’s belief in the transformative economic power of research – a tick, from the ANAO, however restrained, is a good result.