SCIENCE INITIATIVES

Mr BIGNELL (Mawson) (15:13): My question is to the Minister for Science and Information Economy. Can the minister advise the house about the state government's commitment to science excellence?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (15:13): I thank the member for Mawson for the question and his interest in the progress of science and technology in the state. I am pleased to advise the house about the South Australian government's strong commitment to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. As the Minister for Science and Information Economy, I am keen to promote these areas that are the foundation of the state's future prosperity, and as a government we are determined to promote science across the community so that we can position our state as a leader, an innovator and a driving force for change.

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of launching National Science Week at the Royal Institution of Australia. The institution itself is a world first and has proudly been established by the state government as a means of promoting science excellence. National Science Week will take place in August and is expected to attract more than one million people through science events and activities held across Australia. This year's National Science Week will feature a wide range of dynamic educational and recreational activities, which include Science Alive, an excellent example of hands-on science, which includes a family expo, a student careers day and an eco-living expo.

Scinema, a science film festival, is a medium that has huge potential to spark the general public's interest in science. An evening of mystery and intrigue will lead audiences through the role of modern forensics in solving complex crimes. For regional South Australians, there is the outback astronomy tour, which provides astronomy programs for students and local communities in outback South Australia. These are just a few of the many interesting and informative programs that will be on offer throughout National Science Week.

This year, 2010, also marks the fifth year that the state government has presented the South Australian Science Excellence Awards. In that time, almost 50 outstanding South Australians have been recognised in their various fields of excellence. These innovative people are bringing cutting edge skills to their fields of expertise covering health, the environment, food safety, molecular bioscience, marine biology and many new and emerging technologies.

These prestigious South Australian Science Excellence Awards recognise outstanding current scientific research and are a highlight of National Science Week. The state government's commitment is demonstrated by its investment of $2 million in the awards in the last five years.

The awards recognise and reward excellence in all forms of science across industry, government and education. They include the South Australian Scientist of the Year, the South Australian Young Tall Poppy of the Year, various other rewards for research excellence which recognise commercial success, research that delivers social and environmental benefits and work that has emphasised collaboration by researchers and those who benefit from the research.

In addition, there are awards for Science Educators of the Year across the school, tertiary and community sectors. These awards recognise educators who help promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics at the grassroots level. An annual amount of $125,000 is made available for these much prized awards.

The state government will also invest more than $9 million to address the shortage of science and maths teachers across the state. This funding will provide high-level qualifications in science and maths for up to 155 South Australian high school teachers, providing an impetus for training, electronics, ICT and precision engineering.

Our state needs to inspire and harness young talent. By actively supporting the development of science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills, we will help secure a future that will deliver new and cleaner technologies, improve community health, enhance defence applications, streamline minerals processing and expand agricultural opportunities. I look forward to informing the house of future developments as they unfold.