Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Heffernan asked me a question on 26 November 2009. I seek leave to incorporate further information in response to that question.

Leave granted.

The further information read as follows—

Senator Heffernan asked at 2.26pm on 26 November 2009:

Is the Minister aware that Energy Australia, a company owned by the New South Wales Labor government, has decided to close its productivity testing and compliance division, known as Testing and Certification Australia. Is the Minister also aware that this is the only facility in Australia that can test and certify electronic medical devices to the appropriate international standards?

I am aware that EnergyAustralia has announced plans to close some of the services offered by its subsidiary, Testing and Certification Australia. I am not aware if EnergyAustralia has made a final decision about the extent of any closure of Testing and Certification Australia's services. I am aware that Testing and Certification Australia has over time offered a broad range of testing services including having accreditation to test medical electrical devices to the AS3200 and IEC60601 series safety standards. A number of other facilities in Australia are accredited to test devices against other standards.

With regard to the national importance of such a facility, has the minister or, if he has not, his department had any discussions with the New South Wales Labor government on what can be done to ensure that Australia does not lose this important testing and certification capacity?

Neither I nor my department have had any discussions with the New South Wales government relating to Testing and Certification Australia.

Staff from the National Measurement Institute within my department have had some discussions with Energy Australia about the high voltage and high current services that Testing and Certification Australia currently offers from its facility at Lane Cove.

Will the Minister undertake to investigate this matter to ensure, in the national interest, that medical biotech industry is not placed at a distinct competitive disadvantage.

I have asked my department to investigate this matter further, to ascertain the impact on the medical biotech industry.

I was asked today a question by Senator Troeth about enrolments and about the actual physical exclusion of a student from a school. I have yet to get information on that. But, with regard to the NAPLAN participation rate questions that went to whether a student is actually enrolled in a school and excluded from any testing: the NAPLAN participation rates are reported for each school on the website so that it is clear how many students participated in the testing. Any attempt to exclude students from the testing will be apparent from this data. That is the information that has been provided to me by the education department. Students are exempted from NAPLAN tests if they have severe intellectual or functional disabilities or if they are from a non-English-speaking background and have been learning English in Australia for less than one year. Exempt students are not included in the calculation of the school average. All Australian governments have committed to promoting increased participation of such students in the national assessment process. The national protocols for the administration of the NAPLAN test outline the agreed policies and practices for providing students with special support, adjustments and accommodation. I trust that assists the senator.