Office of the Chief Scientist (Australia)


The Office of the Chief Scientist is part of the Department of Industry, Science and Resources. Its primary responsibilities are to enable growth and productivity for globally competitive industries. To help realise this vision, the department has four key objectives: supporting science and commercialisation, growing business investment and improving business capability, streamlining regulation and building a high performance organisation.

Chief Scientist

The chief scientist is responsible for advising the Government of Australia on scientific and technological issues.
The chief scientist chairs the Research Quality Framework Development Advisory Group, the National Research Priorities Standing Committee and is a member of other key government committees:

Chief scientists

Source
PortraitChief ScientistHeld OfficeNotes
1Ralph Slatyer1989–1992ecologist, Order of Australia
2Michael Pitman1992–1996botanist
3John Stocker1996–1999immunologist
4Robin Batterham1999–2005chemical engineer
5Jim Peacock2006–2008molecular biologist
6Penny Sackett2008–2011astronomer
7Ian Chubb2011–2016neuroscientist
8Alan Finkel2016–2020neuroscientist
9Cathy Foley2021–2024solid-state physicist
10Tony Haymet2025–presentOceanographer

National Science and Technology Council

The National Science and Technology Council is responsible for providing advice to the Government on important science and technology issues facing Australia.
The prime minister, Scott Morrison, and the minister for industry, science and technology, the Hon Karen Andrews MP, announced the new council on 28 November 2018.
The council is chaired by the prime minister, with the minister for industry, science and technology as deputy chair. Australia's chief scientist, Tony Haymet, is the executive officer.

History of Australian science councils