Setting priorities provides a vision of where research can contribute to Australia’s future prosperity and well being, and will help to align our nation’s research effort in these key areas. National research priorities will enhance the quality and impact of our research effort by building critical mass in these areas and by promoting collaboration between research organisations and with industry.
Australia’s national research priorities were announced by the Prime Minister in late 2002 and were enhanced and refined in 2003 to take greater account of the contributions of social sciences and humanities research. The process for developing the national research priorities is described in the Overview 
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The national research priorities are thematic and are underpinned by ‘priority goals’. There are four national research priorities and their associated priority goals (257.1 KB), as amended:
A National Research Priorities (NRP) Standing Committee was established in February 2005.
As part of its responsibilities, the Standing Committee is required to report to and advise the Australian Government on the implementation of the NRPs by relevant agencies.
The first formal report to the Government by the Committee was provided in May 2007.
In line with the observations made in the NRP Report to Government, the Prime Minister, the Hon John Howard MP, has agreed to conduct the review of the NRPs in 2009. This will allow enough time to properly evaluate the benefits that have resulted from the introduction of the NRPs. More information on the review process will be provided closer to the date.