Australian Research Council Centres of Excellence

Mr MURRAY (Davenport) (14:35): My question is to the Minister for Industry and Skills.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I'm trying to hear this question, members on my left and right.

Mr MURRAY: Can the minister update the house on how the state government continues—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Sorry, member for Davenport. Go again, thank you.

Mr MURRAY: Start again? My question is to the Minister for Industry and Skills. Can the minister update the house on how the state government continues to support local research and entrepreneurs?

The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley—Minister for Industry and Skills) (14:35): Thank you very much, sir.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I know you can't wait, members on my left, but please.

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: I thank the member for Davenport for the question. I know he is a successful entrepreneur himself.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for West Torrens is warned.

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: He is very interested in research and entrepreneurship here in South Australia and a strong advocate for his community. The Department for Industry and Skills will be coordinating proposals to support applications for the commonwealth government's Australian Research Council Centres of Excellence 2020 program. This is the first time that the South Australian government has initiated a formal call for this funding. Australian Research Council Centres of Excellence are respected concentrations of research excellence.

These centres of excellence create significant partnerships and share resources between universities, publicly funded research organisations, governments and businesses in Australia and overseas. Increased financial effort from each state and territory provides leverage to obtain more commonwealth funding. The Marshall Liberal government is allocating a total of $1.5 million over three years from the Research, Commercialisation and Startup Fund to support the centre of excellence applications. This will be complemented by the commonwealth funding, which typically is in the order of between $1 million and $5 million per calendar year for up to seven years.

Applicants will need to meet the criteria and outline things such as the proposed benefits to South Australia, development of research themes and suitability of research leaders, expected outcomes and funding support, alignment with South Australia's vision to grow the economy and deliver key services to families and businesses, and the potential for the centre of excellence to foster and build critical mass and key research and development capabilities in South Australia. The parliament will—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for West Torrens.

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: —manage the selection process with the selection panel including the Chief Scientist of South Australia, Professor Caroline McMillen. The $28 million Research, Commercialisation and Startup Fund has been created to support South Australian businesses to collaborate with researchers and universities to improve industrial situations, commercialisation, new research, and new products and services to attract research infrastructure and investment into the state and encourage the establishment and growth of start-ups and businesses in South Australia.

Guidelines for the fund are due to be released by the end of the year. This is an exciting use of state government money being invested to generate more opportunities for investment coming from other sources in South Australia so that we can expand those opportunities for commercialisation of research and start-up opportunities in South Australia.