1. Astronomy Governance Working group ASA update
The AGWG met monthly, from early November 2015 to June
“The Government is working closely with the sector to ensure that it can carefully consider key governance arrangements that enable Australian astronomers to maintain our international standing, continue their excellent research and have access to the necessary tools and infrastructure to achieve this.”
The deliverables are implementation plans for a corporate Commonwealth entity and a CSIRO subsidiary to consolidate astronomy governance.
AGWG update, ASA ASM, 4 July 2016

2. AGWG Members Dr Lewis Ball/Douglas Bock Director, CASS
Ann Bray/Tanya Lynch (Chair) DIIS
Dr Alan Duffy Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University
Professor Warrick Couch Director, Australian Astronomical Observatory (AAO)
Professor Carole Jackson Department of Physics and Astronomy, Curtin Uni
Associate Professor Virginia Kilborn, President, ASA
Mr David Luchetti Project Director, Australian SKA Office
Mr Mark McAuley Chief Executive Officer, Astronomy Australia Limited
Professor Elaine Sadler Professor of Astrophysics and Director, University of Sydney, ARC Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO)
Dr David Williams (Alternate member) Executive Director, National Facilities and Collections, CSRIO
Professor Lisa Kewley, Chair NCA
AGWG update, ASA ASM, 4 July 2016

3. Process
• The AGWG has gathered and consolidated data from AAL, AAO, CSIRO and SKA to provide a baseline of current costs to enable the implementation plans to be developed.
• The AGWG has undertaken considerable work to gather data on current arrangements to allow costings of the options.
• The working group has also done considerable work in analysing the risks of each option.
AGWG update, ASA ASM, 4 July 2016

4. New governance entity
• The AGWG agreed a formulation that the purpose of the entity is enabling, translating and communicating world-class astronomy.
• The AGWG have also agreed on the mission and functions of a new entity.
AGWG update, ASA ASM, 4 July 2016

5. What happens next?
The implementation plans will be provided to the department as groundwork for an incoming government to consider. (DIIS deadline is next week)
As it is not clear how an incoming government (?) wants to consider this important issue we (DIIS) are also unable to indicate timing for consideration of this issue, however any incoming government is expected to need at least several months to find its feet.
AGWG update, ASA ASM, 4 July 2016