Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Science and Research, Senator Farrell. Can the minister explain to the Senate how the Gillard government is supporting Australia's world-class science and research sector?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator McEwen for her question and note her ongoing interest in the science and research sector. Last Saturday I joined Prime Minister Julia Gillard, South Australian Premier, Jay Weatherill, Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Penny Wong, and Senator McEwen in Adelaide. We announced $100 million in federal funding for world-class education and health science research facilities. The facilities will be part of the new South Australian health and biomedical precinct at the brand-spanking-new Royal Adelaide Hospital site. The amount of $60 million will go to the University of Adelaide's new medical school, which is next door to the new hospital, and the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute.

The facility, which is modelled on leading international university hospital precincts, will represent a new frontier in Australian medical education. Also, $40 million will go to the University of South Australia's Centre for Cancer Biology to house 250 researchers investigating blood cancers such as leukaemia and lymphoma. The precinct will be a world leader in the provision of modern education, health and medical research, commercialisation and clinical service delivery.

The projects are part of ongoing support for world-class science research and tertiary education, and complement infrastructure such as the South Australian nodes of the Australian Phenomics Network and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory of Australia. Integrating medical institutions with research communities promotes a smarter way of approaching the future of medical research and education.

Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for his answer. I ask a supplementary question. How does the Gillard government's investment in South Australia's biomedical precinct benefit all Australians?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I once again thank the senator for her question. This government is pleased to provide $60 million towards the University of Adelaide's $120 million medical school. Bringing together the medical school with the new Royal Adelaide Hospital follows the worldwide-proven model of co-locating teaching hospitals with world-class clinical schools to deliver high-quality learning and clinical practice. It will provide the next generation of healthcare professionals with the skills, the knowledge and the capabilities they need to deliver world-class healthcare services to all Australians.

We have also contributed $40 million towards a new $100 million home for the Centre of Cancer Biology at the University of South Australia. The centre studies the fundamental causes of cancer in order to find a new way to treat those diseases. (Time expired)

Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a second supplementary question. How does this funding support the Australian government's commitment to the creation of high-quality jobs?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Once again I thank Senator McEwen for her question. Investing in these new facilities not only is supporting biomedical research and innovation but also is creating jobs in South Australia. These jobs in the facilities we will create, together with the students and the staff they will attract, will support South Australia's economic growth into the future.

In the 2013-14 budget the Gillard government has committed $321 million to continuing support for Australian research. We have committed $185 million over two years to continue the national collaborative research and infrastructure strategy. These NCRIS projects support important research that will benefit future generations. We have also committed $135 million over five years to extend the Future Fellowships scheme.