Photonics

The Hon. T.T. NGO (15:13): My question is to the Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation. Can the minister tell the chamber of the importance of the photonics industry to 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) (15:13): I thank the honourable member for his question and his well-known and ongoing interest in the field of photonics in South Australia.

South Australia is the leader in optical fibre-based sensing and application-specific solid state laser design and, coupled with our strength in biophotonics, particularly advanced optical materials, this presents significant opportunities for sustained economic growth through this industry in South Australia.

This is an extremely high-tech and advanced industry and manufacturing process for the optical fibres but photonics is not a simple Lego building block process but provides an opportunity to enter into a global industry that has great opportunities. The government recognises that the photonics industry is growing incredibly fast and represents already a $150 billion global market opportunity. South Australia has a strong tradition of successfully commercialising photonics products. The current photonics-based revenue for our state is projected to be around $200 million, employing approximately 800 people. The photonics industry is a great industry for the future. I have certainly seen the light and recognised the need for support.

In recognition of our competitive strength in the sector, the University of Adelaide's Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics is currently hosting the 2016 Society for Optics and Photonics BioPhotonics Australasia conference. The conference is being held in Adelaide this week at the Adelaide Convention Centre, bringing together leaders from industry and academia to share their experiences and research results, explore collaborations and illuminate possible new technologies in biophotonics, medical imaging and fibre sensing.

It was a great privilege on Monday night to attend and open the industry networking event for the conference to showcase South Australia's achievement in the photonics industry. It was good to see many industry collaborators, including companies like Trajan Scientific, which have set up within the Adelaide University's Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, leading the way in industry and academic collaboration, along with many other biophotonicists who were there on Monday night. It was a great opportunity to highlight the significant support being provided by the government towards research and innovation capacities, particularly in photonics in South Australia.

I am proud to say the state government is directly supporting the photonics industry through the Photonics Catalyst Program. This joint initiative between the government and the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS) is connecting South Australian industry with emerging photonics technology capable of transforming their businesses. The state government's support of $1 million for this program will fund 20 new industry-focused projects, looking at projects between researchers and local companies.

The government is committed to ensuring we provide the best possible support for our research institutions and our entrepreneurs to rapidly promote collaboration and facilitate our rapid commercialisation. The host of this particular conference this week, the Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, led by Adelaide University's Professor Mark Hutchinson, has also been supported by the government, with that centre receiving $1.3 million in support through the Premier's Research and Industry Fund.

This funding has supported the institute, and particularly Professor Robert McLaughlin's research to develop next-generation medical devices to examine the response of human cells against environmental conditions and treatments. Professor McLaughlin's research has the potential to provide leading-edge technology for the healthcare sector and impact positively on the state's commercial manufacturing.

Through the state government's Innovation Voucher Program we have seen TGR BioSciences engage the Ian Wark Institute, now part of the Future Industries Institute at the University of South Australia, to develop cost-effective microfluidic chip devices to deliver faster standard laboratory tests. This has an estimated market value, if commercialised, of $400 million and will enable multiple simultaneous tests for detecting substances in liquids. These are just a few of the examples of the exciting and innovative research that is being done in Adelaide and the support being offered by the state government to make sure this comes to fruition.