The South Australian Productivity Commission is following the national PC playbook, again

The SAPC is already suggesting ways the various power bases in the medical research establishment could make-nicer more efficiently (CMM September 7) and is now commissioned by the state government to examine SA’s research and development system.

It’s  assessment of universities role in the state research and development eco-system focuses on problems not unique to Adelaide . However, the commission reports a very SA take on them, with university’s suggesting, “the ability to attract funding, including through competitive grants, is limited by its population size and lack of critical mass, along with relatively few major industries that provide R&D funding.”

Overall the SAPC’s draft reports suggests a very PC conclusion; “the Commission has found little evidence that initiatives designed to use R&D as a lever for economic growth have had measurable impacts. This reflects both limited commitment to evaluation as a tool as well as the nature of the programmes. A review of past SA Government R&D and innovation strategies … suggest that the economic impacts of previous strategies have been modest at best.”