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Regular news from state and federal governments.

ALP releases innovation discussion paper

10 October – The Australian Labour Party has released a new discussion paper, 'Thriving Industries in an Innovative Australia', and invites comments from interested parties. In the paper, an 'Innovation Report Card' is presented, which ranks Australia in 17th place among 28 OECD countries. Three indicators were used in generating this ranking: usage of information technology and communications; production and exports of technology intensive goods; and R&D effort. Key issues requiring comment include whether R&D tax concessions need to be strengthened, whether innovation in Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) requires greater support, the quality of Government support for commercialising Australian inventions and the establishment of new science parks.

[Source: R&D Info]

Access to international research information

18 October – Federal Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Kay Patterson, has announced that Australia has obtained a national subscription to the online library of the Cochrane Collaboration , ensuring free access for all to this significant resource. The Collaboration represents an international consortium of health professionals, consumers and researchers who provide validated review of clinical trial outcomes. Reports are made available through the Cochrane Library, currently only accessible via a paid subscription. Access to the collections is expected to benefit consumer decision-making about health care and clinicians' access to important information. Australia is one of the first countries in the world to offer its citizens access to such a collection of information.

[Source: Ministerial Media Release]

Biotechnology Australia releases survey of public attitudes and understanding

17 October – A recent survey by Biotechnology Australia indicates the Australian public are experiencing difficulties in coming to terms with gene technology issues. Significantly, the survey indicates that the lack of understanding is largely because the public lacks access to quality information, or is being exposed to conflicting claims. Biotechnology Australia particularly targets activist groups, both for and against biotechnology, claiming the public desires balanced and factual information, yet many groups were disseminating 'mythical' information which is lowering trust in biotechnology or baselessly increasing hype. Such misinformation has led to a polarisation within the Australian community, between those 'for' and 'against' gene technology. Rather than continue this 'war' on misinformation, the agency argues that the public needs access to balanced and factual information to enable independent, informed choices to be reached.

[Source: Checkbiotech.org]

Centres of Excellence in Clinical Research announced

20 October – The Federal Government has announced nine Australian medical research institutes are to be made centres of excellence in clinical research. The program, designed to foster innovative clinical excellence, will ensure that more results from medical research are translated into clinical practice. From over 80 applications received for the program, nine centres have been chosen, of which five are located in Victoria. Under administrative guidance from the National Health and Medical Research Council, each centre will receive $2m of additional research funding over five years. Research areas to be targeted by the centres include women's health, infectious diseases, drug evaluation, cardiovascular disease, stroke and epilepsy. The centres to receive funding are:

  • The Jean Hailes Foundation, to research the role of oestrogens and androgens in women's health;
  • The Centre for Clinical Research Excellence in Infectious Diseases at The University of Melbourne, to research clinical virology and infections;
  • The Alfred and Baker Medical Unit Centre for Clinical Cardiovascular Research, to research clinical cardiovascular research;
  • The National Stroke Research Institute, to research stroke and epilepsy;
  • The Alfred/Monash Centre for Therapeutics and Clinical Research, to evaluate new and existing drugs;
  • The Centre of Clinical Research Excellence to Improve Outcomes in Chronic Liver Disease at Westmead Hospital in Sydney, to improve clinical outcomes for people with chronic liver disease;
  • The Centre of Clinical Research Excellence in Renal Medicine at The University of Sydney, to investigate screening for renal disease;
  • The Centre of Clinical Research Excellence in Cardiovascular Disease/Metabolic Disorders at the University of Queensland, to address the interface between cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders; and
  • The Centre for Training in Clinical Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Research at the University of Western Australia, to investigate cardiovascular disease.

[Source: Ministerial Media Release; The Age – Brendan Nicholson]

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CRC showcase booklet launched

14 October – A new Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Association booklet – 'CRCs: Capturing Creativity through People, Ideas and Enterprise'- has been launched by Federal Science Minister Peter McGauran. The booklet details all the research being undertaken by a variety of CRCs, which represent collaborations between Universities, Government Agencies and Industry. The CRCs featured in the booklet are those that won the 2002 CRC Association Technology Transfer Awards, which recognise the capacity of CRCs to transform technology into material benefits.

[Source: Ministerial Media Release]

Life Sciences Centre of Excellence launched

10 October – Australian Prime Minister John Howard has officially opened the new CSIRO Life Sciences Centre of Excellence at Riverside Park, in Sydney. The facility, which is to accommodate 230 CSIRO staff, attracted a Federal investment of $57m. It is now one of CSIRO's major sites, employing 400 staff in eight separate divisions, including molecular science. The Riverside development is designed to provide a 'blueprint' for future business parks, combining commercial viability with environmental compatibility.

[Source: Ministerial Media Release]

Queensland to build biotech projects with German state

16 October – Queensland and the German state of Bavaria have agreed to enter into an agreement to collaborate on biotechnology developments as soon as possible, the result of a visit by Premier Peter Beattie. Bavaria, which has the country's highest concentration of biotech companies, is planning to collaborate with Queensland in a variety of areas, including natural compounds and marine biology. In return, Queensland is interested in Bavaria's product-to-market know-how in the international marketplace. Not only will this open up new export markets, it is also hoped to attract further investment to Queensland. The agreement will now be drawn up by Professor John Mattick, Director of the Institute for Molecular Bioscience at the University of Queensland, who is currently on sabbatical in Bavaria.

[Source: Ministerial Media Release]

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