Ouch that must hurt. WA Premier Geoff Gallop has launched the Ausbiotech conference in Perth but its the Victorians that are getting the honours.
Ouch that must hurt. WA Premier Geoff Gallop has launched the Ausbiotech conference in Perth but its the Victorians that are getting the honours.
Victorian innovation minister John Brumby's one of two men awarded the inaugural 2005 AusBiotech Chairman's Industry Medal at the conference - for his commitment to the biotechnology industry.
That must be tough for Dr Gallop who sought to paint a picture of robust investment in Western Australia by his government and its focus on science - including a $100 million investment in InnovateWA.
Below is the state government's release on the conference launch:
Australia's most important biotechnology conference and exhibition was officially opened today by Premier Geoff Gallop.
Held in Perth for the first time, AusBiotech 2005 is expected to attract more than 1,200 delegates from 21 countries including Canada, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
AusBiotech 2005 is being held at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre and will conclude this Wednesday.
"Biotechnology is one of the most globally important, rapidly growing industries of the 21st century and is an industry with enormous potential," Dr Gallop said.
"My Government regards biotechnology as an industry that is strategically important for Western Australia's economy and one which has the potential to be a major export earner, generating many highly skilled jobs."
The Premier said the State Government had invested heavily in innovation, research and development and emerging technologies.
"We have invested $100million through the Innovate WA policy, including $40million for the Major Research Facilities Program, to develop international class research centres, supported by significant funding from industry and $10million per year for the Centres of Excellence Program," he said.
"We also have a science strategy to upgrade and expand the State's research efforts within the Government, the universities and private sector."
Dr Gallop said WA biotechnology companies had demonstrated their world-leading expertise in a range of areas including biomedical technology, agricultural biotechnology, environmental biotechnology and biomining.
"When it comes to scientists and innovators, our State is home to some of the nation's brightest and best," Dr Gallop said.
"WA-based scientists Professor Barry Marshall and Dr Robin Warren were recently awarded the 2005 Nobel Prize for Medicine for their breakthrough discovery of the correlation between the Helicobacter Pylori bacterium and gastric ulcers.
"Their ground-breaking work has delivered major health benefits to people around the globe.
"Of course, the products developed by Australian of the Year, Dr Fiona Wood, and her colleague, Dr Marie Stoner, for the treatment of burns, scars and other types of skin trauma, are outstanding examples of the high calibre, outward-looking biotechnology companies we have here in WA."
Dr Gallop said AusBiotech had established a WA branch with the support of the WA Government.
"WA is now actively represented on the various national industry initiatives such as the Australia New Zealand Biotech Alliance, the Biotechnology Liaison Committee and the Committee for Marketing Australian Biotechnology," he said.
"State Development Minister Alan Carpenter has also led a number of delegations to biotechnology conferences around the globe, including Bio2005 in Philadelphia, where he championed the State's biotechnology industry with senior industry and government representatives from other countries."
Other State Government initiatives include:
provision of $15.5million in new funding between WA universities (UWA, Curtin, Murdoch and ECU) for eight centres of excellence, of which $13million will be biotechnology related;
continued expansion of WA's Technology Park, a globally recognised leader in technology parks, into a wider precinct at a cost of $23million;
a new commercialisation scheme, worth $4million over four years, directed at raising the skills of individuals and companies to get products to the investor ready stage;
a new Inventor of the Year Award, worth $2million over four years, aimed at developing ideas in industry and schools to access services in research and innovation;
development of a new integrated research centre, Agricultural Research WA, to bring together WA's world-class agricultural researchers; and
development of an integrated Chemistry and Minerals Research Precinct, in conjunction with Curtin and Murdoch Universities and CSIRO. When completed, the precinct will have the largest grouping of research chemists in the Southern hemisphere - a vital factor to support the development of emerging industries.
Premier's office: 9222 9475
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