The Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) is part of the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science. 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.
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:
The Office of the Chief Scientist provides secretariat services to a science council chaired by the Prime Minister of Australia, with the Chief Scientist holding the position of executive officer on the council.
The current incarnation of the council is the Commonwealth Science Council, announced by Tony Abbott on 14 October 2014. The council held its first meeting on 27 November 2014.