Science Research and Innovation

The Hon. T.T. NGO (15:15): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Science and Information Economy a question about how this government is facilitating innovation in South Australia.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.T. NGO: Science research and innovation go to the heart of South Australia's capacity to develop a strong economy that brings lasting benefits to the community. Can the minister tell the chamber about her recent visit to Flinders at Tonsley?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (15:16): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. Last week, I was very pleased to be able to visit Flinders at Tonsley. Although this obviously was not my first time visiting there, I have to say that I am constantly impressed at the amazing, innovative work that is being undertaken at this precinct. I have seen it grow and develop and it is fabulous to see Flinders University's development finally opened. It was great to be able to visit there and go through some of the particular departments.

Flinders at Tonsley was opened in March of this year and is housed in a $120 million six-storey building which centrally locates Flinders' School of Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics with the Medical Device Research Institute and the Centre for NanoScale Science and Technology. The building houses more than 150 staff and 2,000 students.

Flinders at Tonsley also hosts the New Venture Institute (NVI) which runs entrepreneurship, innovation and mentorship programs that help the state's entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into viable businesses. NVI also runs the Venture Dorm accelerator program which helps deliver MEGA on behalf of the government and in conjunction with Majoran.

The NVI aims to foster Adelaide's entrepreneur community by creating connections between Flinders and businesses, organisations and entrepreneurs from outside the university environment. NVI also operates eNVIsion, an incubation space embedded within Flinders for start-ups and microbusinesses which provides participants with supporting connections to Flinders resources to help develop their businesses and, as I said, turn their ideas into viable businesses. Currently it has 27 operation start-ups and SMEs.

In the last 18 months, NVI has trained 966 individuals in entrepreneurship, innovation and business model distribution. This is incredibly dynamic and exciting stuff which is vital for the continued growth of Adelaide's innovation ecosystem, and Flinders at Tonsley should be congratulated for their activity in this space.

During my visit, I was also able to meet with Dr Gregory Ruthenbeck, who is currently funded through a $30,000 Catalyst Research Grant provided by the government. Dr Ruthenbeck is renowned for his longstanding career as an innovative researcher and is working with Tonsley-based Simulation Australia on haptic guidance technology, simulation-based training and the development of next-generation interactive systems. I was able to even sit in the driver's seat and drive some of this equipment; it was truly remarkable. I am just pleased it was a 3D picture that I was operating on and not a real person's sinuses that I was exploring into.

This is certainly an impressive piece of work and, during my visit, I was also able to try out some of the technology, particularly around the cochlea there was some fascinating stuff, as well as the nose—as I said, I did some exploratory work on some sinus passages—and also throat surgery. He has a fabulous incubator simulation which is truly amazing, and I would imagine will significantly benefit students in being able to develop certain techniques prior to actually practising on a human being. I imagine that would be in everyone's interest.

These simulations are truly remarkable. They are incredibly lifelike and, of course, packaged with highly technical and accurate anatomical information. So, obviously, the application of this kind of technology, as I said, has really widespread applications, particularly around using instruments and particularly around surgical training. Australia has an ageing research workforce, creating the potential for a shortfall in the number of researchers needed to undertake cutting-edge research with the skills required by industry.

Through the Premier's Research and Industry Fund (PRIF) Catalyst Research Grants program, the government is supporting early career researchers conducting scientific or technological research in collaboration with an industry partner or customer group. This provides the next generation of research leaders with industry relevant experience.

This government is highly supportive of developing South Australia's innovative potential and ensuring that government has a strategic and coordinated focus on science, technology and information economy policy development and program delivery, and supports better linkages between research institutions and industry in order to facilitate state productivity.