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THE SOCIAL SHAPING OF A LABORATORY: THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE AUSTRALIAN ANIMAL HEALTH LABORATORY
Abstract
Technologies are often presented and perceived as being inevitable, natural and necessary, as if they were the products of some inner logic. As a result, there has been a tendency in the past to focus on the effect or impact a technology has on society at the expense of investigating the origin of the technology. More recently, efforts have been made to penetrate the ‘black box’ of the technological artifact in order to reveal the variety of ways technologies are shaped. This paper will discuss the economic, political and other social factors which shaped the Australian Animal Health Laboratory and which determined its proposed functions.
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NOTES AND REFERENCES
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This can sometimes be a decision not to make a decision!
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For discussion of this see MacKenzie and Wajcman, op. cit., p.295.
A number of these detailed studies have begun to appear; for example, T. P. Hughes, op. cit., B. Latour and S. Woolgar, Laboratory Life, Sage, London, 1979. See also MacKenzie and Wajcman, op. cit., for bibliography.
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Dr Kesteven was Australian delegate at FAO conferences and consultant to the Department of Primary Industry. He returned to Australia for four weeks each year to visit various laboratories and government departments to transfer information on the international scene. [Personal interview 4/6/84].
Department of Health, Agenda Paper for Standing Committee, 19 December 1963.
ibid.
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Dr Gregory, Pierce's predecessor, was opposed to the idea of a centralised laboratory, favouring instead the building up of State laboratories. He also argued that the matter of establishing a centralised laboratory was “getting a little out of proportion” since quarantine was efficient and liaison with overseas laboratories well established. [Report of AVA Annual Conference, Alice Springs, 31/5/64-6/6/64, p. 17].
A. E. Pierce, ‘A Review of Current Activity in Relation to the Future of the Division of Animal Health’, paper prepared for the CSIRO Executive, 9/3/72, p. 9.
ibid, p. 2.
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A. E. Pierce, Letter to J. Price (CSIRO Chairman), 21/7/71, p. 4.
During Gorton's Ministry (January 1968-March 1971), Anthony was Minister for Primary Industry and Forbes was Minister for Health. Prior to becoming Prime Minister, Gorton was Minister for Science & Education, a portfolio he retained until handing it over to Bowen. Fraser was Assistant Minister for Science & Education, eventually becoming Minister during this period. From March 1971 to December 1972, the period of McMahon's Ministry, Primary Industry passed to Sinclair, with Anthony becoming Deputy Prime Minister. Health passed to Greenwood and then Anderson, and Science and Technology to Fairbairn and then Fraser again. [Australian Parliamentary Handbook, 19th ed. Aust. Gov. Pub. Service, 1975].
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ibid.
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ibid., p. 199.
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