Cooperative Research Centre round 19 interviews are on this week but alarmed observers wonder whether it will be the last, what with the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science commissioning ARTD Consultants to review the programme.

Again. CMM counts eight CRC reviews, most recently a very positive one in 2015 by David Miles. This new effort appears to be born of his suggestion to investigate links with the Industry Growth Centres Programme, but ARTD’s questions go much further, asking people interviewed if they have “concerns in relation to the efficiency of the CRC programme.” So is the CRC programme singled out? Innovation agenda observers say they  know of no review underway of the growth centres or other applied research programmes.

But not everyone’s a critic. Last week’s Innovation and Science Australia 2030 roadmap recommended, encouraging investment in research programs “that directly support activity in areas of competitive strength and strategic priority,” including CRCs and CRC Projects.