Science will add billions of dollars to Australia's bottom line by the early 21st century, the Chief Executive of CSIRO, Dr Malcolm McIntosh, will tell finance and industry leaders in Melbourne.

The vision of the nation's leading scientific agency and its future contribution to Australia's industrial competitiveness will be the theme of an address by Dr McIntosh to the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce on Friday, August 29, 1996.

Science is also crucial to overcoming the problems which the quest for economic growth has created -- Greenhouse, third world poverty and environmental damage -- and for protecting Australia's quality of life, he says.

"I will be drawing on examples in which CSIRO research is contributing to the development of billion dollar projects in minerals, manufacturing and information technology and agriculture," says Dr McIntosh. "We will also announce for the first time exciting results of new scientific work in progress."

This will be Dr McIntosh's first major address at a large business forum since taking up the position of chief executive of CSIRO earlier this year and leading the organisation on a major internal restructuring designed to shape it to the needs of industry and the nation in the coming century.

More information from: Dr Chris Moran, 06-2766033