Cooperative Research Centres

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (14:32): My question is to the Minister for Science and Information Economy. Can the minister please advise how the Cooperative Research Centres program benefits the South Australian economy?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (14:32): I thank the honourable member for her question, and I know she knows these areas very well as one of the very highly regarded former ministers in this area.

The CRC program was established in 1990, to build critical mass between researchers and end users of research to tackle major challenges facing our nation. The most recent review of the program, Growth Through Innovation and Collaboration, highlights and confirms the importance and valuable contribution of CRCs to the economy and to the community.

The CRC program is known and highly regarded internationally, and occupies an important place in building scale, scope and industry-led collaboration. Investments in CRCs by the South Australian government have proved to be a success. CRCs provide considerable investment into the economy and support employment outcomes for the research sector.

In data collected in 2014-15, it was estimated that CRCs directly employed 246 individuals, equating to 131 FTEs. Further, the South Australian government's investment in CRCs generated over $19 million in direct support, and $25 million in-kind support, annually.

The South Australian government has supported eight existing CRCs in 2015. These have included one-off grants of $500,000 to the four CRCs headquartered in South Australia, to create additional research capacity and activity, and employment opportunities in our state. These four CRCs include: the Deep Exploration Technologies CRC (DET CRC), Data to Decisions, the Pork CRC and the Cell Therapy Manufacturing CRC. The jobs created from the support provided by the state government is expected to lead to new jobs based in the CRC companies themselves or in partner organisations to the CRCs based in South Australia.

The Deep Exploration Technologies CRC was established in 2010 and was created to address challenges being faced in the future by the minerals industry in Australia: having the ability to explore to greater depths the vast areas of Australia's deep, covered prospective basement. Its research will provide for cheaper and safer ways to drill, analyse and target deep mineral deposits in Australia. Since 2010, the Deep Exploration Technologies CRC has received $6 million in total investment from the South Australian government which has leveraged a further $55 million from the Australian government and industry. The CRC estimates around $31 million of this funding has been expended in South Australia, generating many jobs in mining services and advanced manufacturing areas not directly in the CRC.

The CRC collaboration is between research organisations, government, suppliers and companies including such well known companies as Heathgate, Investigator Resources, Minotaur Exploration, Monax Mining, OZ Minerals and Rex Minerals. Twenty South Australian-based suppliers have also been involved in the fabrication in South Australia of one of the world's first coiled tubing rig for mineral exploration.

Drilling costs, using the completed rig, are expected to be just one-sixth of conventional diamond drilling costs. The Premier's Research and Industry Fund has provided $1.1 million over three years towards this project which has created further ongoing jobs and further research capacities which should benefit our industries in South Australia. I look forward to keeping the council updated about the ongoing successes of our CRCs.