The Government s investment in research and development (R&D) infrastructure (laboratories,

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1 The Government s investment in research and development (R&D) infrastructure (laboratories, major equipment and other hard facilities) is one of the central features of the Smart State vision. The Queensland Government has assigned significant funding to infrastructure that supports strategic and applied research of major importance to the State s economic and social development. > 30

2 2. Building Queensland s scientific and research facilities Bioindustries Strategy Considerable funding has been invested in the State s growing biotechnology research infrastructure with Queensland being the first state to identify biotechnology as a potential growth area for Australia. Under the Bioindustries Strategy established in 1999, the State Government has contributed to the establishment of major R&D facilities including > the $105 million Queensland Bioscience Precinct at the University of Queensland > the $60 million Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) Clive Berghofer Cancer Research Centre > the $13 million Centre for Biomolecular Science and Drug Discovery (recently renamed the Institute for Glycomics) at the Gold Coast Campus of Griffith University All three institutions are associated with distinguished scientists and researchers, including Professor Mark von Itzstein of Griffith University, an Australia Prize Medal winner for his efforts in the development of the anti-influenza drug Relenza. Smart State Research Facilities Fund In 2001 the Government established the Smart State Research Facilities Fund to provide funding on a competitive basis for R&D infrastructure in any scientific or technological field where Queensland has comparative or potential advantage. A total of $100 million was made available under the Fund. During the first round of funding in , more than $63 million was allocated to six projects > up to $22.5 million towards a $70 million Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation at QUT's Kelvin Grove campus > up to $4.5 million towards a $13.5 million Australian Computational Earth Systems Simulator at the University of Queensland a global research centre for earth systems simulations enabling mining companies to undertake explorations in the safest and easiest way possible > up to $1.5 million towards a $5.2 million cryo-electron microscopy facility at the University of Queensland to help researchers design and develop new drugs via technology that allows the researchers to cool the active compounds, slowing their movement and enabling them to be studied > up to $20 million towards a new $50 million Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) at the University of Queensland. The AIBN will be established as a national Centre of Excellence for Nanotechnology, creating critical mass in nanotechnology research 31 >

3 > $7.5 million towards a Centre of Excellence in Engineered Fibre Composites Design and Development at the University of Southern Queensland. The centre will help secure the continued growth of a fibre composites industry in Toowoomba > up to $7.8 million towards a $33 million Australian Tropical Forest Institute in Cairns. The Institute will be the focus of national and international research and commercial development based on the biodiversity of tropical forests. The Institute will attract internationally renowned scientists and internationally focused biodiscovery industries to north Queensland (See page 36 for details of funding for round two of the Smart State Research Facilities Fund.) Cooperative Research Centres The Government has also made a major investment ($140 million) in Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs). There are now 54 CRCs (out of a national total of 74) operating in Queensland with 17 headquartered in the state. These CRCs operate in many disciplines and industry sectors and are a major source of collaboration between Queensland and interstate researchers and between researchers and industry. Further research initiatives Other R&D infrastructure projects and programs funded by the Queensland Government have included > the Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies, a world-class facility for R&D in the mining, energy and manufacturing industries with the goal of increasing the international competitiveness of Queensland and Australia's resource base and related industries. The Queensland Government is providing $24 million towards stage two of this initiative > the Sustainable Minerals Institute at the University of Queensland, a combined university, industry, and State Government initiative to undertake research on longterm issues of sustainability in the mining industry. The Institute employs 200 researchers and has been supported by a $10 million State Government grant > the Process Engineering and Light Metals Centre at Central Queensland University's Gladstone Campus established through a $5 million Queensland Government grant. This regional facility is providing vital research to support the region s multi billion dollar light metals and mineral processing industries > the Agency for Food and Fibre Sciences in the Department of Primary Industries which undertakes leading research into agricultural and food processing technologies, making it the largest research agency for food and fibre sciences in the southern hemisphere > 32

4 > the new Creative Industries Precinct at the Queensland University of Technology s Kelvin Grove campus. The Precinct is the first stage of the Kelvin Grove Urban Village, a $400 million urban development that will include the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation. The State Government has committed $15 million to the Creative Industries Precinct which will be a purpose-built, hi-tech centre for collaboration in multi-media, animation, creative technology, interactive design, film and television > the proposed Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence (PACE) to be developed adjacent to the Princess Alexandra (PA) Hospital in Brisbane. PACE will draw together major stakeholders in pharmaceutical research, education, drug delivery and associated services. The State Government has provided land worth $3.4 million to the University of Queensland for this purpose > the Centre for Immunology and Cancer Research at the PA Hospital, which is undertaking research into the prevention of cervical cancer and is expected to generate $6 million per annum in licensing revenue. The Government has assisted the Centre with fit-out of its new laboratories > the Queensland Sustainable Technology Development Program which supports research, development and demonstration of new technologies or new applications of existing technologies relating to Queensland's built environment > the Advanced Wastewater Treatment Technologies Scheme which supports research and pilot projects into environmentally friendly sewerage treatment technologies for use by local governments The $20 million Queensland Manufacturing Institute (QMI) located at the Brisbane Technology Park, continues to provide applied research and technical training (technology diffusion) for the Queensland manufacturing industry. The Institute operates a broad range of services to help firms achieve manufacturing excellence by adopting world-class technologies and business practices. The technology diffusion work of QMI complements the very substantial extension work for rural producers and land managers in Queensland performed by the Department of Primary Industries and, more recently, the Department of Natural Resources and Mines. Because of this work, Queensland s rural producers are among the most technically savvy in the world. Supercomputing Cutting-edge research, whether climate modelling, genomics, mining or manufacturing, increasingly requires access to expensive, high-powered supercomputing capacity. The Government has assisted in upgrading the State s supercomputing facilities through the creation and funding of the Queensland Parallel Supercomputing Foundation (QPSF). The facility, comprising a Silicon Graphics Origin 3000 Supercomputer and a Virtual Reality Centre at the University of Queensland, is available to all Queensland based universities and industry. A budget of $10 million was awarded to the QPSF for this upgrade. Access grids are advanced videoconferencing systems that provide high quality audio and real-time video, allowing groups at multiple sites to interact simultaneously and share data. Queensland s first access grid was launched at James Cook University (JCU) in Townsville in April This was followed by access grid installations at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane in November 2002 and at JCU in Cairns in March Access grids are also operating at the University of Queensland and Central Queensland University, with the University of Southern Queensland and Griffith University expected to go on-line soon. 33 >

5 Future directions The State Government has a long-term goal to increase business sector expenditure on R&D infrastructure and research activity. It also aims to secure a Commonwealth Government commitment to match the investments being made by the State Government and Queensland universities. Figure 2 shows the State Government and Queensland universities are spending proportionately more on research than their counterparts in other States, while the private sector and the Commonwealth are investing less in Queensland than in other parts of Australia. Figure 2: R&D Expenditure in Queensland by Sector, In , the Queensland Government spent $240.3 million on research, over 25 per cent of all State/Territory R&D spending in Australia. Queensland universities spent $464 million, 17 per cent of all university R&D spending. By contrast, the private sector spent $517 million in Queensland, only 10 per cent of total business R&D expenditure, while the Commonwealth spent $120 million, a mere eight per cent of total Commonwealth direct expenditure on R&D. However, private sector expenditure in Queensland, while still lower than the national average, has been improving. Between and , Queensland business expenditure on R&D increased by 18 per cent (and between and by a further 41.2 per cent, the largest increase of any State and Territory for this period). The increasing spend by business on R&D in Queensland is extremely encouraging, and a long-term goal for State and Commonwealth Governments should be to assist and reinforce this trend. Securing greater Commonwealth investment in Queensland % Business Queensland Higher Education State Government Commonwealth Government Australia R&D is another objective for the State Government. Commonwealth funding schemes for R&D are competitively based and subject to professional peer review. However in the past, Commonwealth investment in R&D (particularly in areas such as defence, medical research and climate change) favoured southern states, while early rounds of the Howard Government s national science and technology investment programs, Backing Australia s Ability, also favoured New South Wales and Victoria. Source: ABS, Research and Experimental Development More recently, Queensland has done better in national funding schemes, having received $140 million in Commonwealth funding for Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs) when New South Wales and Victoria each received $98 million. This was a very good result for Queensland. In 2003, the University of Queensland attracted six of the 24 Federation Fellowships awarded by the Australian Research Council, worth $6 million. > 34

6 There are broader challenges for the Commonwealth than securing equitable funding for Queensland. Commonwealth spending on R&D, not only in Queensland but Australia as a whole, is slipping dramatically behind international benchmarks. Australia s Group of Eight universities predict that national investment in R&D will decline to 1.39 per cent of GDP by , compared to the OECD predicted weighted average of 2.45 per cent. To further boost to the State s research capacity, the Queensland Government will undertake the following initiatives. Queensland Chief Scientist The Government will establish a new position of Queensland Chief Scientist to provide a focal point for advice to government on high-level issues regarding science, research and innovation (and R&D priorities). The Queensland Chief Scientist will help forge collaborations between the research, industry and government sectors and, through these linkages, increase opportunities for co-investment in research projects. The Queensland Chief Scientist will strengthen the national and international profile of Queensland research organisations by promoting their capabilities in relevant national and international forums. The Queensland Chief Scientist will also report annually to the Government on the State s performance in the science and technology sector compared with world best practice. The Queensland Chief Scientist will provide, on a Government-wide basis the kind of advice currently provided by the Department of Primary Industries Chief Scientist in relation to primary industries. The latter position will continue in its existing role. Queensland R&D Priorities The Commonwealth Government recently announced a set of national research priorities to guide R&D spending by Commonwealth bodies such as the Australian Research Council (ARC). These priorities will ensure that funding for R&D infrastructure and research projects is directed towards activities that are most likely to bring economic returns or fulfil important social or environmental objectives. To complement the national priorities, the Queensland Government has adopted a set of research priorities to guide State Government spending on R&D, including selection of projects under the Smart State Research Facilities Fund. These priorities reflect the Government s strong commitment to building the State s knowledge industries. They also reflect the importance of using science to deal with environmental problems such as climate change, to improve community health and well-being for an ageing population, and to protect the community from possible security threats. There is strong alignment between the Queensland and national research priorities, reflecting substantial agreement between the State and Commonwealth on desirable research objectives. This alignment should position Queensland R&D agencies well to compete successfully for Commonwealth research funding, and Queensland will seek to work closely with the Commonwealth to facilitate co-investment in both national and State priorities. The Queensland Government will continue to promote the benefits of investing in Queensland science and technology. It will continue to work with universities and other science providers to improve their skills in competing for national funding awards and it will continue to fund centres of excellence, particularly in the regions, that have the potential to attract Commonwealth or industry support. It will also continue to press the Commonwealth Government and industry for greater levels of investment in Queensland (and Australian) science. 35 >

7 In summary, the Queensland R&D priorities are > Enabling technologies building Queensland s capacity in key enabling technologies including information and communication technology (ICT), biotechnology, nanotechnology and smart materials > Environmentally sustainable Queensland > Managing climate change gaining greater understanding of the nature of climate change and variability and the impact of these on the environment; identifying and developing appropriate adaptive management and mitigation strategies; achieving more sustainable production and use of existing energy sources; reducing emissions from fossil fuels; and identifying and developing new, renewable energy sources > Sustainable Queensland coastlines and Great Barrier Reef ensuring that Queensland s coastlines and the Great Barrier Reef are managed and protected sustainably in response to the impact of human activities > Food for the future using Queensland s strengths in biotechnology, health sciences and leading-edge food science and technology to produce functional foods and nutriceuticals that contribute to improved human health and well-being > Safeguarding Queensland strengthening the State s capacity to anticipate and respond to potential threats to communities and critical infrastructure; protecting natural assets; and improving e-security expertise to protect against cyber-fraud and intrusion > Sustainable health developing a better understanding of the social, environmental, psychological and physical factors in sustaining good health, and delivering new health products and services for use in domestic and international settings and markets > Tropical futures using new and existing technologies to address challenges in tropical regions of the world in the areas of health, food, marine science, mining and environmental management The Queensland R&D Priorities will be reviewed periodically and a report prepared for the Government on their implementation across agencies. Smart State Research Facilities Fund round two The Government has announced support for six major R&D projects under the second round ( ) of the Smart State Research Facilities Fund. The successful projects are > the Institute for Cellular and Molecular Therapies $12 million towards a $40 million Natural Product Discovery research facility at Griffith University (Mount Gravatt Technology Park) Brisbane. This Institute will conduct leading-edge research into natural products for pharmaceutical value and into drug design linked to cellular and molecular therapies for a range of human diseases > the Mater Medical Research Institute (MMRI) Clinical Trials Centre $10 million to construct a $17 million research and clinical trials facility within the Mater Adult Hospital in South Brisbane. The Centre will build on MMRI s international reputation in cancer and immunology research, particularly in the area of dendritic cells and gene therapies > the Wesley Research Institute Facility up to $800,000 towards a $10 million Clinical Research Centre at the Wesley Hospital, Brisbane. The Centre will conduct early phase clinical trials of new drugs and devices, and establish diagnosis and treatment procedures for cardiovascular diseases, cancer, infertility, haematological disorders and bone fractures > the Queensland Animal Breeding Facility $1.7 million towards a $2.85 million animal breeding facility at the Herston Medical Research Centre, Brisbane. This facility will underpin the State s biotechnology industry by supplying specialised laboratory animals for research and teaching > the Queensland Microtechnology Facility up to $3 million towards unique research into silicon carbide wafer microtechnology. This Griffith University initiative will ultimately form part of a $13 million facility for designing and manufacturing semiconductor integrated circuits, boosting Queensland s capacity to gain a share in the $6 billion global integrated circuit market > 36

8 > Tropical Marine Science up to $5 million for the construction of facilities to support world-class research in tropical marine science. Key research providers and user stakeholders will be invited to develop and submit collaborative proposals for facilities to further enhance Queensland s leading position in the tropical marine sciences The successful Centres have already formed extensive national and international partnerships, attracting nearly $50 million through collaborations. Boggo Road Knowledge Precinct Additional funding for Smart State Research Facilities Fund The Government is providing additional funding of $50 million for further rounds of the Smart State Research Facilities Fund which will continue as the Government s major investment program for Smart State science and research infrastructure. This will make a total commitment of $150 million to the Fund since its inception in Applications for funding will be encouraged from all sectors of Queensland s knowledge economy, with special focus on those that meet the new Queensland R&D Priorities. Queensland Linked ARC Centres of Excellence Program The site of the former Boggo Road Gaol in the Brisbane suburb of Dutton Park is strategically located near major transport hubs, the Princess Alexandra and Mater Hospitals, the University of Queensland, and the proposed Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence. It is also close to the Queensland University of Technology and a short drive from Griffith University. The $237 million Boggo Road Gaol Precinct project is aimed at transforming the Boggo Road site into a unique, mixed-use urban village comprising residential, retail, commercial and research facilities. It is anticipated that the Boggo Road Gaol Precinct will initially provide a focal point for two broad fields of research > medical research including health care delivery, diagnostics, medical devices and cancer research > ICT research including e-security, computer modelling and bioinformatics The Queensland Government has committed to support Queensland universities that have been successful in securing Australian Research Council Centres of Excellence (ARC CoE) funding. The ARC CoE Program was established in June 2002 under the Commonwealth Government s National Innovation Strategy: Backing Australia s Ability. Eight successful ARC CoE recipients were announced in December Queensland applicants were successful in securing involvement in five of these centres. The University of Queensland secured the lead role in the Centre for Integrative Legume Research and a partnering role in the Centres for Quantum Computer Technology; Biotechnology and Development; Mathematical and Statistical Modelling of Complex Systems; and Quantum-Atom Optics. Griffith University is a significant partner, along with the University of Queensland, in the Quantum Computer Technology Centre. The occurrence of knowledge-based research and business at the Boggo Road Gaol Precinct is expected to deliver major economic and social benefits to Queensland. Once the Precinct is complete, it is expected to create about 5940 jobs over ten years and contribute $1.8 billion to Queensland s economy. It will also ensure the commercial development of innovation will occur in Queensland. Importantly, it will ensure the State continues to build upon its competitive strengths in high technology industries. 37 >

9 Institute for ICT Innovation (e-health and e-security) As already noted, Queensland has growing research strengths in information and communication technology (ICT), including the areas of e-health and e-security. To take advantage of this, the Government has earmarked $13.75 million for an Institute for ICT Innovation in Queensland that will cement the State s reputation as a national and international leader in the e-health and e-security sectors. The Commonwealth, Queensland and United States Governments have all identified security as a major priority for science, research and innovation. The Institute for ICT Innovation will incorporate a strategic collaboration between the Queensland Government and CSIRO to form an E-Health Research Centre. Information and communication systems such as telemedicine and smart cards are being used increasingly in modern health systems as tools for improving service delivery to patients, no matter where they live. With the highest rural and remote population in Australia, Queensland is already an innovator in electronic health service delivery, having established the world s largest telehealth network and having become a world leader in the implementation of clinical applications. The Institute for ICT Innovation will bring together world-class researchers and industry in a collaborative environment to produce commercial products and services for sale in Australia and overseas, and to help Australian and overseas organisations (e.g. hospitals and defence departments) adopt industry best practice in e-health and e-security. Interactive Games Development Program Queensland has been described as the epicentre of games development talent in Australia. Currently, there are over 300 people employed in the Queensland industry, with the four largest games companies collectively employing more than 140 people. The market for interactive games is immense with over 430 million gamers worldwide. Production and sale of computer games is one of the largest industries in the world with an annual output of over $US20 billion. This exceeds the box office receipts of the film industry worldwide. The world s largest media information provider, Informa Media, predicts the global games market will be worth approximately $US86 billion in To support the industry, the Government has established an $800,000 Interactive Games Development Program designed to address critical success factors (e.g. employment, exports and industry growth) for the development of the industry, and build upon the current capabilities of the Queensland Interactive Games Industry Cluster. > 38

10 High performance computing The Government has made an in principle commitment to fund a high performance computing initiative. The initiative will strengthen the State s national and international position in the area of supercomputing through expanded support for the Queensland Parallel Supercomputing Foundation (QPSF). This initiative will increase the available high performance computing capacity to meet present and future demands, and establish Queensland as Australia s leading state in the use of grid technology. The Government s existing investment in the QPSF has resulted in collaboration between Queensland universities across a range of significant industry focused projects. These include developing effective management strategies for saltwater intrusion into groundwater, reducing the incidence of rolling stock derailments, improving sugar milling processes, enhancing mine safety and expanding the State s bioinformatics capacity. The high performance computing initiative will build on and further extend these outcomes. Centre of Excellence for Applied Sport Science Research The Government will invest $2.5 million over four years to establish a Centre of Excellence for Applied Sport Science Research at the Queensland Academy of Sport. This will be the only state government-sponsored centre in Australia with a focus on applied sport science research and will establish Queensland as the leading state in the field of sport science. The Centre will create opportunities for Australian and international post-graduate researchers and is expected to offer six PhD, three Masters and six Honours scholarships over the initial four-year period. The Centre will provide > increased knowledge of the application of sport science (including physiology, psychology, biomechanics, sports medicine, physiotherapy, nutrition and skills acquisition and development) on athlete performance > opportunities for commercialisation of technology and specialised equipment developed within the individual research projects > increased competitive edge for Queensland s elite athletes 39 >

11 Case study: Supporting Queensland s ICT industry strengths E-security has a long and prestigious history in Queensland, and now more than ever, at a time of heightened awareness of national security, opportunities are opening up in global markets for Queensland's e-security companies. It's great to see the State Government encouraging the development of e-security start-up companies, as this is an area where we can create new money-generating enterprises. Professor Bill Caelli, AO, Head of the School of Software Engineering and Data Communications, Queensland University of Technology > 40

12 Computers, communications technologies and information services collectively referred to as information and communication technology (ICT) have become vitally important to society. Over the past few years Queensland s ICT industry has gone from strength to strength and is fast becoming a world leader in a number of areas including e-health, e-security, e-learning, multimedia and games. The Department of Innovation and Information Economy has helped to set up industry clusters for the e-security, e-learning and games development industries to help them expand into national and international markets. A world-leading e-security industry How many times have you been asked to provide personal or financial details on the internet and experienced concern about the safety of providing this information online? The internet has created many new questions about the security of online business and greater exposure to cyber fraud and computer hacking. These worldwide concerns are being addressed by the global e-security industry, with Queensland taking a leading role. Queensland has the largest e-security research group in the southern hemisphere and the second largest population of e-security companies in the world. The State Government is supporting the further growth of this industry and is lending assistance to many companies such as Brisbane-based e-security company, Clariti Pty Ltd, which started three years ago with only four staff. After receiving support from the Government s Financing ICT Growth Program, Clariti now employs about 40 people in Australia and Fiji and is currently investigating opportunities in the Asian markets. DIIE has provided $50,000 to the e-security cluster to employ a business development and marketing manager to implement new ideas and initiatives >

13 A strong and growing e-learning industry An internationally recognised games industry Queensland s e-learning cluster consists of 25 core members with the objective of developing Queensland's e-learning industry. The cluster received $22,000 in State Government funding for a think tank, industry analysis, industry profile, industry directory and develop future directions for the cluster. The results of this process have recently been published in the form of a report Born Smart. Queensland s capability in the exciting area of multimedia and games development is growing rapidly, along with its international reputation as home to innovative companies. Queensland is home to approximately 40 per cent of the games companies in Australia. The cluster has recently branded itself as elearn153 and cemented an organisational structure, formalised membership rules, determined a strategic framework to guide the cluster and implemented a policy regarding intellectual property. On 6 May 2003 elearn153 made its debut in Sydney at CeBIT Australia, the Asia-Pacific region's largest and most important ICT exhibition. Companies such as Auran Development, founded in 1995, have garnered an international reputation with products such as Dark Reign and Trainz recording well over a million sales. Auran is a founding member of the Cooperative Research Centre for Interaction Design and has received numerous awards including the Australian Arts and Entertainment Export Award Queensland e-learning companies such as Brisbane web-based application software developer WebRaven are enjoying global success. The company has formed a partnership with US-based multinational LearnKey to deliver solutions for worldwide clients. Krome is Australia s largest local games company and was named Queensland s best exporter in the Arts/Entertainment category in both 2001 and With successful titles such as Ty, the Tasmanian Tiger, Sunny Garcia Surfing, Goofy Skateboarding and Barbie Beach Vacation, Krome exports to North America and Europe through international publishers such as Mattel, Disney and Electronic Arts, the world s largest games publisher > 42

14 Artist s impression of the Boggo Road Precinct Creating an Institute for ICT Innovation To help Queensland maintain its leading edge in the global ICT sector, the State Government has earmarked funds to create an Institute for ICT Innovation in inner city Brisbane. The Institute will encourage collaboration between some of the State s leading researchers and help to maximise the ICT industry s R&D opportunities both here and overseas. It is anticipated that the Boggo Road site will incorporate business incubation facilities and business support services to stimulate start-up companies and to assist research organisations throughout Queensland to reach their full potential. The Institute for ICT Innovation will also position Queensland as a national and international leader in the e-health and e-security sectors. The Queensland Government has committed $13.75 million to the Institute. CSIRO has committed $7.5 million over four years to research e-health applications. Venture capital will be sought from business and industry to help commercialise new products and services for local and international markets. It is proposed that the Institute will be housed at the redeveloped Boggo Road Gaol site in a precinct incorporating world-class knowledge industries and residential and retail development. Researchers located at the site will have unrivalled access to the CBD, universities and medical research institutes, transport and telecommunications. 43 >

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16 3. State Government agencies as drivers of research and innovation State Government research As well as funding research, the Queensland Government is a major research provider. It directly spends approximately $240 million per year on research activity, much of which is conducted through State R&D organisations. These agencies include the Agency for Food and Fibre Sciences (AFFS), Natural Resource Sciences and various science units attached to the Environmental Protection Agency. Since 1998 much of the growth in the Government s funding for R&D infrastructure has been awarded to the State s universities which are powerful generators of research particularly strategic research in the areas of ICT, biotechnology and nanotechnology. This research also generates new technologies and industries in its own right, such as the new Queensland company Benitec, a spin-off company from AFFS, which has developed leading technology to silence genes that may be instrumental in human and animal diseases. As the Smart State vision moves forward, a priority for the Government will be to position and support State R&D agencies so they can perform with the best universities and the knowledge industries, and be placed in the best possible position to compete for quality staff and research contracts. State Government R&D agencies are also important players in Australian science and industry, conducting world-class research that is not undertaken by business, or in many cases, by universities. The Agency for Food and Fibre Sciences (AFFS), for example, is well regarded by industry. The research performed by bodies like AFFS as well as by CRCs and universities is critical for maintaining the competitiveness of Queensland s existing industries such as farming, fisheries and forestry. 45 >

17 Promoting smart practice within Government State agencies not only perform selected research for industry and the community, they also promote best practice in knowledge management and innovation. This includes a commitment to make greater use of ICT to > develop electronic patient records for improving the flow of patient information between health providers across the continuum of care (e.g. between GPs and hospitals) > streamline booking and referral systems > The State Government is a major generator, user and disseminator of knowledge. It is therefore crucial that Government agencies adopt world best practice in making optimal use of their knowledge systems and technology platforms. Being a leader in this area can help the Government improve efficiencies in service design and delivery, introduce new services, provide a role model for the community and business and forge alliances with industry and the community to devise common approaches to local needs. It also provides a means of transferring Government know-how to the private sector and vice versa. Some key actions within Government in this area have included > the establishment of Smart Service Queensland a single electronic gateway for information on Queensland Government services via a choice of channels including internet, phone, fax and mail. It is planned that 400 Government services will be linked into the system by 2007 > a new ICT purchasing standard and framework which provides a streamlined procurement process and assists industries to understand and plan for Government ICT needs > the publishing of e-commerce@smartstate.au which promotes e-commerce use in industry and the community, generating trust in e-commerce through privacy initiatives and promoting e-commerce within Government Under the Smart State: Health 2020 Directions Statement, the Government has declared that Queensland s health system will be a benchmark for Australia in terms of technological evaluation and innovation. > reduce duplication in diagnosis and assessment > reduce waiting times for access to treatment services > connect rural and remote areas to centres of excellence in larger state, national and possibly international centres As part of its drive to foster ICT and the internet within schools, Education Queensland has installed one of the largest educational internet data centres in the world, with the ability to access an increasing range of education services using a single password. This initiative has been made possible through a $21 million agreement with Brisbane-based company WebCentral. All staff and students are able to log on to use the network, which can accommodate more than 540,000 single users. The Department of Main Roads and Queensland Transport are also technology leaders. Innovations are improving the way roads are built and helping to reduce traffic through safer and more efficient traffic management. Many of these innovations have been made within Government, with the benefits transferred to local government and the private sector. Extensive use is being made of ICT in the form of intelligent transport systems. Innovations in this field include the first computer controlled traffic system in the southern hemisphere. Under the Smart Housing initiative, the Department of Housing is using technology to build environmentally smart houses and to encourage Queenslanders to do the same. Smart in this context means houses that are resource efficient (waste, water and energy), safe, universally designed, secure and cost-efficient. The Department has also established a project known as the Research House involving the design and construction of a family home in Campbell Street, Rockhampton, which will be developed as a research centre to trial, validate and apply sustainable technologies and building products and practices. > 46

18 Future directions Capitalising on the intellectual property of Government agencies The Queensland public sector (including State-owned R&D agencies) contains an enormous pool of innovative ideas, products and services, designs and trade secrets. It is crucial that the Queensland public sector s intellectual property (IP) is effectively managed so that it benefits all Queenslanders. The ideas, innovations, products and services devised by State agencies must be fully identified, developed, protected and utilised. Where appropriate, this includes transferring public sector IP to the private sector (technology diffusion ) under proper licensing arrangements so that existing or start-up companies can use the IP to develop new products, services and industries within the state. It also includes capturing appropriate revenue streams for Government from the sale or licensing of public sector innovations. The Queensland Government has developed Queensland Public Sector Intellectual Property Principles for use by all Government agencies. The IP Principles will be supported by IP Guidelines; an expert IP network to assist with the commercialisation process; a framework to recognise and reward public sector employees who create commercially viable IP; a training and awareness program; and a website on IP management and case studies >

19 Case study: Developing leading-edge agricultural research In Queensland, we have to find the technological breakthroughs and framework to help producers overcome constraints like tired soils, a climate with low rainfall, no supporting tariffs, changing community demands and increased competition for markets. Dr Rosemary Clarkson, Executive Director of the Agency for Food and Fibre Sciences, Department of Primary Industries > 48

20 Gavin Scurr, Pinata Marketing Ensuring science and research results in high value economic and environmental outcomes is fundamental to the ongoing success and sustainability of Queensland's primary industries. A core group of Queensland Government scientists are working on the enabling technologies to lead the State's agriculture and land management to the highest possible international standard. The Agency for Food and Fibre Sciences is the Queensland Government s largest group of scientists, comprising about 900 scientists and focusing strongly on the areas of environmental sustainability and biotechnology. Some of the most significant technological breakthroughs of the future in the area of agricultural research will come from what people are terming the bio-revolution, using biological technologies to restore ecological capital such as fresh water. Farming prawns for bioremediation of waste streams The Queensland Government's scientific capacity in emerging technologies like bioremediation will see the development of closed-loop systems where there is no waste and every output is either returned harmlessly to the ecosystem as a nutrient, or becomes an input for another process. Banana prawns could be part of the answer to bioremediation of waste streams from Queensland's aquaculture systems, and could simultaneously provide farmers with a second high-value production from their operations one that is sourced from waste. Trials conducted by Queensland Government scientists on five commercial prawn farms found that the prawns can thrive without any other nutrient source other than the waste. Biological technologies include gene technology, biomimicry, biocontrol and bioremediation, where science is finding ways of increasing the economic return on high quality food and other agricultural products for world markets, while reducing the impact of their production on the environment. Offering natural alternatives to chemical use Developing drought resistant food crops Plant scientists from the Department of Primary Industries have successfully transferred the genes responsible for the stay-green characteristic in sorghum. Stay-green (delayed leaf ageing and death) is a drought resistance trait that helps the sorghum plant continue filling its grain when water is limited. The economic benefit of stay-green sorghum alone to Queensland and New South Wales producers is estimated at $34 million annually. The benefit to much of the world s poorer nations is beyond measure, as sorghum is the fifth most important food crop in the world, and the dietary staple of 400 million people in 30 countries. Biocontrol offers natural alternatives to chemical use in agricultural industries. Research into biocontrol methods for Queensland's $300 million banana industry is part of a major Queensland Government focus on environmentally sustainable production and smart approaches to the control of crop diseases using the natural defence mechanisms in plants. Queensland researchers are also leading the world in developing and applying biopesticides that are based on naturally occurring insect diseases. This technology makes maximum use of the natural enemies of insect pests such as Heliothis, which costs Australian growers millions of dollars each year, but are resistant to many chemical insecticides. Up to half a million hectares of Queensland crops are treated with innovative biopesticides each year and that figure is increasing rapidly. 49 >

21 Researchers at the CRC for the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (CRC Reef) have developed a computer modelling system to predict the travel patterns of millions of tiny fish larvae on the Great Barrier Reef. This model could help identify particular areas of the reef which need protection to ensure the long-term sustainability of reef fish populations. > 50

22 4. Harnessing smart science for the environment Maintaining the quality of Queensland s environment in the face of pressing challenges from salinity, drought, vegetation clearing, exotic pests and diseases, climate change and greenhouse gases has been a State Government priority since In this endeavour, Queensland science, research and development has played an integral role in forming sound policy and industry best practice. The Sustainable Minerals Institute, the Queensland Sustainable Technology Development Program and the Advanced Wastewater Treatment Technologies Scheme (see Chapter 2) and the Queensland Sustainable Energy Innovation Fund (see Chapter 7) have also improved the State s ability to manage development in an environmentally responsible way. Over the past few years, the amount of research undertaken into environmental issues by State science agencies, particularly the Department of Natural Resources and Mines, has substantially increased. This reflects the Government s concerns in areas such as water management and salinity, as well as national initiatives such as the National Heritage Trust and the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality. Many of the Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs) operating in Queensland are actively concerned with environmental issues, including coal in sustainable development, renewable energy, sustainable sugar production, sustainable forestry production, sustainable aquaculture of finfish, coastal zone, estuary and waterways management, the Great Barrier Reef, tropical rainforest ecology and management, waste management and pollution control, freshwater ecology, greenhouse accounting, water quality and treatment, weed management and tropical savannahs. Harnessing the State s science base in the quest for sustainability will continue as a priority for the Government and is reflected in the State Research Priorities (see Chapter 2). Developing and using the State s science base in this way will benefit the environment while maintaining competitiveness in established industries such as mining and agriculture, which are having to meet increasingly stringent environmental standards. It will also stimulate knowledge industries in Queensland which use environmental expertise to generate new products and services for sale and export. 51 >

23 Future directions The Government will continue to harness Queensland s science capacity in its determination to address environmental challenges and in so doing, will take advantage of areas where Queensland has unique scientific and research strengths. Clean energy One area where Queensland has leading environmental expertise is sustainable mining and mineral research. Building on this expertise, the Government has initiated moves to establish a new Centre of Excellence to advance research into clean coal technologies that will improve the efficiency and environmental performance of coal-based electricity generation. The Centre will be a joint venture between the Government and CSIRO, and will provide the basis for developing a future strategic direction for electricity generation in Queensland and the rest of Australia. The University of Queensland, Tarong Energy and Stanwell Corporation are also key partners in this initiative. The Centre will determine and evaluate the appropriateness of existing and emerging clean coal technologies with a view to lowering greenhouse gas emissions, increasing efficiencies in Queensland s coalbased power generation and providing a potential pathway towards a hydrogen economy. The case study on page 54, provides further details of this important initiative. > 52

24 CRC for Sugar Industry Innovation through Biotechnology The Queensland Government will provide financial and inkind support totalling $3.5 million over the seven years of the life of the new CRC. The State s sugar industry has been subjected to considerable pressure to maintain its key role in Queensland's economy. For years the sugar industry provided the financial backbone of many regional communities and played a major role in Queensland s economy. An indication of the importance of the sugar industry to Queensland s economy has been its annual contribution of around $4.5 billion and its employment base of 7600 cane growers, 3500 sugar mill employees and some 20,000 seasonal and support service workers. However, industry regulation, removal of tariffs, a run of poor seasons, escalating pest and disease infestations, low world prices and significant competition from Brazil, have all contributed to the industry s current dire circumstances. While short-term measures have been put in place, the challenge for the future goes beyond reforming the industry to secure productivity increases and improve business management. For the industry to survive, innovative opportunities for marketing alternative products from sugar and sugarcane must be found. A consortium led by the Bureau of Sugar Experimental Stations (BSES), CSIRO and the University of Queensland approached the Queensland Government with a plan to do precisely that. They sought to combine Queensland s existing sugar industry skills and infrastructure with expertise in molecular biology and chemical engineering to provide a sustainable competitive edge through adding value to the entire sugar lifecycle. This would entail > superior varieties produced by environmentally sustainable farming systems > novel processes to extract and value-add throughout the refining process > training a new generation of world-class technologists With Queensland Government support, the consortium was successful in securing Commonwealth funding for the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Sugar Industry Innovation through Biotechnology. Biodiscovery Policy sustainable use of Queensland s natural capital The field of biodiscovery involves analysing biological material such as plants, marine organisms and fungi to discover bio-active compounds that can be used in a variety of medical and industrial applications. For example, Xenome is developing painkilling drugs from biological toxins sourced from Queensland cone shell snails (see case study on page 24). Many medical drugs are derived from natural products and Queensland is one of the world s mega diverse areas for biological diversity with a significant biodiscovery industry. One of the major industry players in Queensland is the Anglo-Swiss pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca that, by 2007, will have invested around $100 million in a joint research institute at Griffith University. Following extensive consultation on the Queensland Biodiscovery Policy Discussion Paper (2002) the Government is preparing legislation (with an exposure draft of the Bill released on 23 June 2003) on access to the State s native biological resources to > facilitate sustainable access by biodiscovery organisations to native biological resources in Queensland by streamlining the currently complex access and licensing regimes > encourage these organisations to undertake research and commercialisation in Queensland through the use of Benefit Sharing Agreements with biodiscovery organisations operating in the state The policy is based upon the ecologically sustainable use of Queensland s native biological resources and will help meet Australia s commitments to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) >

25 Case study: Tarong Power Station Pursuing lower emissions electricity There is no doubt that we need to do things differently if we are going to build on the enormous asset we have in coal and at the same time meet our obligations to cut greenhouse gas emissions. New technology is a key to achieving these goals. This is a major focus for CSIRO's energy research and we are working with the Queensland Government, the coal industry and others to help develop the new directions. Black (coal) can be green. Dr Adrian Williams, Chief of CSIRO Energy Technology > 54

26 Coal the driving force behind Queensland s energy industry and thriving economic growth could also hold the key to lowering the State s greenhouse gas emissions. By finding cleaner ways of turning coal into energy, the Government aims to ensure the State s vast coal reserves continue to provide low-cost electricity to Queensland s burgeoning industrial base and expanding population. At the same time the use of lower emission technologies will reduce the amount of greenhouse gases escaping into the atmosphere. The Queensland Government is determined to increase the level of industrial growth in regional areas where new industry means more jobs and greater wealth. By developing and applying technologies that seek to reduce greenhouse emissions from coal-based power plants, Queensland will meet growing community and industry demands for more electricity with significantly less impact on the environment. To this end, the Queensland Government has agreed in principle to establish a Centre of Excellence in clean energy at Pullenvale in Brisbane, in partnership with CSIRO. The University of Queensland, Tarong Energy and Stanwell Corporation are also key partners in this initiative. The Centre will form the basis for developing a strategic direction for future electricity generation in Queensland and Australia that not only addresses the greenhouse challenge, but also maintains the State s cheap electricity prices. The Pullenvale site, comprising the Centre, CSIRO, the Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development, and other mining related services, builds a significant critical mass of black coal research in Queensland, and indeed Australia. Some of Australia s leading scientists, stationed at the Pullenvale site are currently working together to investigate ways in which black coal can be turned a friendly shade of green. Collaborations with research organisations and industry at a State, national and international level will play a key role in the day-to-day operations of the Centre and will ensure that Queensland is at the international forefront of clean coal technology research. Coal s economic and social importance in terms of jobs, exports and regional development cannot be ignored. Coal, alongside renewables, will also continue to be an important component of Queensland s energy mix. Coal's environmental performance has been improving over time and continued efforts in enhancing existing technologies in the immediate term will also be a priority for the Centre. The Centre represents the first and major step in moving Queensland towards a hydrogen economy. Near to medium term, fossil fuels will be the most competitive source of hydrogen and offer a transition strategy until such time as renewable energy sources become more competitive. The Queensland Government s commitment to pursue lower emission technologies will further serve to build the State s international reputation as not only a low-cost electricity state, but also a low emission state >