The Australian Government recognises the enormous potential of e-Research for Australia’s research community. e-Research has the potential to usher in a new era of innovation and help overcome the tyranny of distance by allowing our researchers to collaborate at the national and international level.
The Australian Government made a commitment in October 2004 to the formation of an over-arching e-Research Coordinating Committee.
The Minister for Education, Science and Training and the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts have announced the establishment of the e-Research Coordinating Committee and appointed Dr Mike Sargent, AM as the Committee Chair. The e-Research Coordinating Committee is supported by a broader Reference Group.
The e-Research Coordinating Committee will be the primary source of expert advice to the Government on a strategic framework for the development of Australia’s e-Research capacity. The work of the Committee is expected to better inform investment decisions made under existing Government initiatives such as the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy announced in Backing Australia’s Ability – Building Our Future through Science and Innovation 
as well as funding programmes administered by Government departments and agencies.