b'Canberra observed activities undertaken at universitiesissues relating to the developmentprovides an opportunity for comment on during the COVID-19 pandemic\x08of airborne geophysical techniquespotential areas for release\x08 Submissions TheRSP provides block grants to higheridentified by industry\x08 will be considered by the government education providers to support theConsequently, it is critically importantin determining which areas are made systemic costs of research not supportedthat we continue to support a wide rangeavailable for bidding as part of the 2021 directly through competitive and otherof basic research\x08 We never know whenacreage release\x08grants, such as libraries, laboratories,we might need the skills and knowledgeIt will make information from submissions consumables, computing centres and thecreated by basic research to support ourpublicly available unless marked salaries of support and technical staff\x08ongoing prosperity\x08 We must prepare forconfidential\x08 Once published, potential The RSP safety net will not be appliedthe future as best we can\x08 bidders or explorers can access the in allocating this additional funding\x08information when preparing bids or as Note that the teaching components ofFinally, what is the future of ourpart of planning for exploration activities\x08universities appear to have receiveduniversities?nothing\x08 If you go to https://consult\x08industry\x08gov\x08If the government continues toau/offshore-exploration/2021-acreage-micromanage what it thinks shouldrelease-consultation/ you can see the University researchbe taught, and what research shoulddetailed maps and more information\x08commercialisation be carried out and how it should be done, then the future will not be bright\x08The areas are situated in four main In the 2020-21 Budget, the GovernmentGovernment are not good at pickingbasins:provided $5\x088 million to scope awinners\x08 Leave it to the universities\x08 Bonaparte and Browse Basins: W21-1, 2 University Research Commercialisationand 3; and AC21-1Scheme to better translate andAreas selected for 2021 offshore commercialise university researchexploration acreage release Carnarvon Basin: W21-4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 outputs\x08 and11With oil price back up to over $US65/bl, This may be built on the Cooperativethere should be increasing interest in theOtway and Sorell Basins: T21-1, 2, 3 and 4; Research Centres programme, whichlatest release announcement on availableand V21-1, 2 and 3Supports Australian industries abilityoffshore acreage\x08to compete and produce, by helpingGippsland Basin: V21-4 and 5\x08industry to partner with the researchThe government is seeking feedback sector to solve industry-identifiedon 21 areas selected for offshoreHave a look and see\x08 The detailed maps problems\x08 exploration release in 2021 (see the mapproduced are worth a visit, even if you in Figure 1)\x08 This consultation processare not going to be making a submission\x08The Prime Minister said in his address to the Business Council of Australia on 19 November 2020:We want to provide a platform and a pathway for our talented researchers to partner with you, with businesses all around the country and to apply their intellectual firepower as research entrepreneurs\x08Commercialisation has always been the most difficult outcome from research because it is usually very expensive\x08 I think that the Prime Minister is looking at the issue the wrong way round\x08 To be successful in business you first must identify the opportunities and then ways to capitalise on these with new services or products\x08 Without a market there is no point in even thinking about commercialisation\x08If you take COVID-19 as an example, the rapid development of vaccines was possible because there was a problem that needed a solution and, more importantly, the necessary basic research was already underway\x08 The development of airborne geophysical techniques was driven by the requirement to find more mineral resources and a numberFigure 1.The areas selected for consultation in the 2021 offshore acreage release are shown in orange of successful CRCs focused on important(source: https://consult.industry.gov.au/offshore-exploration/2021-acreage-release-consultation/).25 PREVIEW APRIL 2021'