[ASA] Australian SKA Project Director Update [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

[Luchetti, David]

Dear ASA Members

Summary of first SKA Convention Negotiations meeting

On 14-16 October I attended, in Rome, the first formal negotiation meeting for the establishment of an intergovernmental treaty organisation for the construction and operation of the SKA. All SKA Member countries were represented and all commented positively on the collaborative and collegiate approach taken by participants. As this was the first meeting the negotiating parties dealt with many procedural matters, secured outcomes on a range of matters and established several working groups to refine the detail in four key policy areas: Privileges and Immunities; Financial Protocols; Procurement and Intellectual Property; and Operations and Access.

The next meeting will be held in January 2016, and will further review the convention's text and consider reports from the working groups. A further meeting is currently scheduled for April 2016, followed by the endorsement of the final text in mid/late-2016 for formal consideration by partner governments.

Upcoming international SKA Board meeting and ANZSCC meeting

Australia's Board Representatives Patricia Kelly (Department of Industry, Innovation and Science) and Dr Sarah Pearce (CSIRO), and I will attend the next SKA Board meeting on 19-20 November in Manchester, UK.

In advance of the SKA Board meeting, the Australia-New Zealand SKA Coordination Committee (ANZSCC) will meet in Sydney on 16 November, and the ANZSCC Science Advisory Committee (SAC) will meet on 6 November in Perth.

If you have any queries about the issues described in this summary, please email me at David.Luchetti at industry.gov.au<mailto:David.Luchetti at industry.gov.au>.

Kind regards

David

David Luchetti
Australian SKA Project Director
Australian Square Kilometre Array Office
__________________________________________
Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
Level 9, 10 Binara Street, Canberra City ACT 2601
GPO Box 9839, Canberra ACT 2601
Ph: +61-2-6213 6068  Mob: +61 411 021 135
Email:  david.luchetti at industry.gov.au<mailto:david.luchetti at industry.gov.au>
Internet: www.ska.gov.au<http://www.ska.gov.au/>

[SKA-Australia-logo]<http://www.ska.gov.au/>

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