Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

On 5 September, I was delighted to officially launch the ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Innovation and Biomedical Imaging Technology, also known as CBIT, at the University of Queensland. Through the Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Training Centres scheme, the Australian government fosters close partnerships between university based researchers and other research end users to provide a high degree of innovation through research and postdoctoral training vital to Australia's future. The University of Queensland was awarded $4.7 million to establish this ARC training centre, which will build multidisciplinary links between researchers and within industry to develop smart probes and smart scanning, harnessing the digital revolution for better, more cost-effective diagnostic imaging and improved health outcomes. The ARC centre, located within the Centre for Advanced Imaging at the University of Queensland, expects to train 20 industry-ready innovation scientists, who will undertake industry-driven research to overcome bottlenecks in the development and application of novel diagnostics, therapeutics and theranostics and to inform changes in regulatory policy that support industry growth.

When you consider that the radiopharmaceutical market is expected to reach $9 billion by 2020 and Asia's diagnostic market is the fastest growing, it is pleasing that such instrumental research and collaboration is being achieved in our own backyard. By establishing collaborations within the biomedical imaging technology industry, both UQ and this training centre are placed at the nexus of a significant collaborative research network. The coalition government recognises the integral and significant part that science, research and innovation play in our economy. Science, technology and innovation are key drivers of our government's plan for a stronger economy. They help to generate jobs and higher living standards for all Australians and others worldwide.

In 2017-18, the coalition government invested $10.3 billion in Australia's research, science and technology capabilities, underscored by a $1.9 billion investment to update our national research infrastructure in this year's budget. The research, development and commercialisation being undertaken and achieved at UQ are a credit to the many painstaking hours of dedication by everyone involved. Congratulations, University of Queensland. I look forward to the medical advances and breakthroughs from your facility which will bring improved healthcare benefits to Queenslanders and, indeed, all Australians.

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