Science and Innovation

Mr PATTERSON (Morphett) (14:34): My question is to the Minister for Innovation and Skills. Can the minister please update the house on how the Marshall government is supporting science and innovation?

The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley—Minister for Innovation and Skills) (14:34): Yes, I can, and I thank the member for Morphett for his very strong interest in innovation. The Marshall government is growing science and innovation across the state. Yesterday, I attended an innovation event at Lot Fourteen. Do you remember Lot Fourteen, sir? That was the old Royal Adelaide Hospital site that the former government wanted to turn into a building site for apartments.

It was delivered in partnership by the Department for Innovation and Skills, and the commonwealth Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It was terrific to meet the Chief Innovation Officer and Chief Scientist, Dr Sarah Pearson, who was the keynote speaker. She was also part of the panel discussion, together with Professor Caroline McMillen, the Chief Scientist of South Australia, and Dr Michelle Perugini, the CEO and founder of Presagen.

The event is part of the Marshall Liberal government's drive to connect the business community, start-ups, researchers and students. The government has set an ambitious growth agenda for the South Australian economy, and our economy will grow through commercialising new ideas and discoveries, supporting established and evolving industries, and maximising the value of science, research and design. We are making South Australia the leading centre for future industries and entrepreneurship. As we heard from the education minister earlier, we are starting in our schools and continuing that through the business sector.

To help us do this, last year we established the $28 million Research, Commercialisation and Startup Fund. Industries like space, defence, biotech, health, and the digital and creative industries, are driving innovation and economic growth, creating new knowledge-intensive jobs. Australia's space economy is expected to triple to $12 billion and create 20,000 jobs over the next decade. Adelaide, of course, has been chosen as the site for the Australian Space Agency and the SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre.

Over the next 40 years, South Australia will be home to the largest share of Australia's defence spend. Major defence companies from around the globe are already operating in South Australia and many local manufacturers have transitioned into the defence industry. Adelaide's rapidly expanding biomedical precinct is home to some of the best minds on the planet who are at work on groundbreaking research.

That's why this government is committed to securing funding for R&D initiatives such as the $19.6 million outlined in this week's state budget. This will support six South Australian based National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy facilities. This investment will leverage another $47 million from the federal government and more than $15 million from the state's research institutions. The Marshall Liberal government is creating an environment that nurtures and encourages scientists and entrepreneurs to take risks and create jobs now and for the future.