{"id":"F2020L01299","name":"Industry Research and Development (Exploring for the Future Program) Instrument 2020","slug":"industry-research-and-development-exploring-for-the-future-program-instrument-2020","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":440623,"registerId":"F2020L01299-fast-fetch-1775956194573","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Industry Research and Development (Exploring for the Future Program) Instrument 2020","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![Commonwealth Coat of Arms of Australia](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nIndustry Research and Development (Exploring for the Future Program) Instrument 2020\n\nI, Keith Pitt, Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia, make the following instrument.\n\nDated 9 October 2020\n\nKeith Pitt\n\nMinister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\n1 Name\n\n2 Commencement\n\n3 Authority\n\n4 Definitions\n\n5 Prescribed program\n\n6 Specified legislative power\n\n \n\n1  Name\n\n  This instrument is the Industry Research and Development (Exploring for the Future Program) Instrument 2020.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n (1) Each provision of this instrument specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.\n\n \n\n- Commencement information\n- Column 1 Column 2 Column 3\n- Provisions Commencement Date/Details\n- 1. The whole of this instrument The day after this instrument is registered. 14 October 2020\n\n\nNote: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.\n\n (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.\n\n3  Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under section 33 of the Industry Research and Development Act 1986.\n\n4  Definitions\n\n  In this instrument:\n\nAct means the Industry Research and Development Act 1986.\n\nprogram: see subsection 5(1).\n\n5  Prescribed program\n\n (1) For the purposes of subsection 33(1) of the Act, the Exploring for the Future Program (the program) is prescribed.\n\n (2) The program provides funding for activities directed to producing a nationally significant minerals, energy and groundwater resources prospectus, including by:\n\n (a) acquiring and analysing geoscience data, including by using geophysical, geochemical, stratigraphic and other tools and techniques; and\n\n (b) developing and delivering geoscience data products, including through an online portal; and\n\n (c) conducting comprehensive analysis of geoscience issues in prospective geological regions with clear development potential.\n\n (3) The purposes of the program include the following:\n\n (a) to deliver public geoscience data relating to mineral, energy and groundwater resources;\n\n (b) to attract investment in resource exploration and agriculture to stimulate development in the resource and agriculture sectors;\n\n (c) to encourage and assist collaboration between industry, researchers and government in relation to developing resource extraction capabilities;\n\n (d) to improve energy security, including by identifying potential new gas supplies;\n\n (e) to support the recovery of the resources and agriculture sectors from the negative economic impacts of the coronavirus known as COVID‑19.\n\n6  Specified legislative power\n\n  For the purposes of subsection 33(3) of the Act, the powers of the Parliament to make laws with respect to the following are specified:\n\n (a) census and statistics (within the meaning of paragraph 51(xi) of the Constitution);\n\n (b) enterprises and activities that are peculiarly adapted to the government of a nation and cannot otherwise be carried on for the benefit of the nation (see paragraph 51(xxxix) and section 61 of the Constitution).\n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument maintains a tight, focused scope consistent with its original purpose. It does exactly what its title suggests: prescribes the Exploring for the Future Program under the Industry Research and Development Act. The COVID-19 recovery purpose in section 5(3)(e) reflects contemporary context rather than scope creep — it aligns with the program's existing economic stimulation objectives rather than expanding into new policy areas."},"complexity_factors":["Extremely short: only 6 operative sections across 3 pages","Minimal defined terms: only 2 definitions in section 4 ('Act' and 'program')","No cross-references to other legislation beyond the parent Act (Industry Research and Development Act 1986)","No conditional logic, exceptions, or nested provisions","Straightforward purposive structure: name, commencement, authority, definitions, substantive prescription, constitutional basis","Single straightforward objective: prescribe a program and specify constitutional heads of power"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument formally establishes the Exploring for the Future Program, a federal initiative funding geological surveys and public geoscience data to map Australia’s underground minerals, gas and groundwater. It enables shared online maps and datasets to reduce exploration risk and attract investment, supporting energy security, COVID‑19 economic recovery and public research.\n\nMade under the Industry Research and Development Act 1986, it prescribes the program and records the Commonwealth’s constitutional bases for doing so."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument itself prescribes a program and sets its purposes and specified constitutional powers. The text contains no indication it alters or narrows an earlier stated scope; it functions as a self-contained prescription of the Exploring for the Future Program under the Industry Research and Development Act 1986."},"complexity_factors":["Instrument is short and focused but depends on section 33 of the Industry Research and Development Act 1986 for legal effect (see Authority, s3).","Program description is broad (funding for data acquisition, analysis and products; s5(2)) while administrative details (eligibility, selection, funding rules) are unspecified, creating interpretive and implementation ambiguity.","Multiple, partly competing purposes are listed (public data, attracting private investment, collaboration, energy security, COVID‑19 recovery; s5(3)), which widens policy objectives that administrators must balance.","Specified legislative powers invoke constitutional heads (census and statistics, and paragraph 51(xxxix)/section 61; s6), introducing potential legal/constitutional considerations for operation.","Ministerial decision-making and program administration are implied by the instrument and Act (Authority, s3; prescription under s33), leaving significant executive discretion over project choice and funding.","Minimal definitions are provided (only 'Act' and 'program' defined; s4), increasing reliance on the parent Act and administrative instruments for detailed meaning."],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument formally prescribes the \"Exploring for the Future Program\" under the Industry Research and Development Act 1986 to fund acquisition, analysis and publication of geoscience data. It affects Commonwealth agencies that run the program, researchers, mining and agriculture firms, and potential investors.\n\nIts stated purposes are to deliver public geoscience data, attract exploration and agricultural investment, foster industry–research–government collaboration, improve energy security and support COVID‑19 recovery. The Commonwealth provides funding and the Minister decides projects; behaviour changes include more public data and incentives for exploration."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-exploring-for-the-future-program-instrument-2020","history":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-exploring-for-the-future-program-instrument-2020/history","analysis":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-exploring-for-the-future-program-instrument-2020/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-exploring-for-the-future-program-instrument-2020/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-exploring-for-the-future-program-instrument-2020/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-exploring-for-the-future-program-instrument-2020/documents"}}