Innovation precincts future under a cloud THE future of a key plank of the former government's innovation push is unknown, with no word from industry minister Ian MacFarlane whether the $500 million program will be ditched. The first two of ten proposed industry innovation precincts, in food and manufacturing, were announced by the previous government. The manufacturing precinct, which is chaired by former Siemens chairman and CEO Albert Goller, has already recruited 300 industry, university other research partners since its inception in July. By September it had been already been pledged $2m of "value-in-kind" services by its members. The precincts were intended to drive industry and research collaborations. But Sophie Mirrabella, who as shadow spokeswoman for research and science, had said the precincts would be abandoned, describing them as a "cruel hoax [that] is being played on tertiary institutions" and "a gross deception." Bradley Smith, research strategy manager at James Cook University, said the precincts program included $236m redirected from the Australian Research Council's linkages program. Mr Smith said while the first two innovation precincts had been announced by the previous government the others were yet to be determined. But if there are no more precincts what happens to the programs or the total funding [package]? Does it revert to standard linkage grants? On Tuesday, education minister Christopher Pyne said research and science would be put under his portfolio, not Mr MacFarlane's industry portfolio has originally planned. Mr MacFarlane's office did not respond to questions.