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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-03-25 Daily Xml
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UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON

Mr RAU (Enfield) (14:26): Can the Premier provide the house with an update on the agreement that the state signed with University College London and Santos Ltd to bring executive education courses and a masters degree in energy and resources to South Australia?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.J. Atkinson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Attorney will come to order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (14:26): Mr Speaker—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: It presumably won't be called the Smith. Okay?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: We know that the Liberals have been accused of name dropping but not name adding.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: It wasn't quite posh enough, was it? You can't tell the truth about your own name. How can you tell the truth about public policies?

The SPEAKER: The Premier will come to order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: An historic agreement—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Just look at him.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The house will come to order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: I'm proud of my name—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The house will come to order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —and so are all my relatives. An historic agreement was signed between the state government, University College London and Santos Ltd on 24 November 2008. This agreement marked the first time in the history of UCL, which dates back to 1826, that this prestigious educational institution has consented to offer its degrees anywhere outside of the United Kingdom.

Everyone in this chamber, presumably, would be aware of University College London. It is one of the world's greatest universities. You would be aware, because I know that the Leader of the Opposition is a student of philosophy, given his interest in Camus, that it is, in fact, the home base of the great Jeremy Bentham. I am happy to give a dissertation on Bentham at some later stage.

As a result of the abovementioned agreement, on 18 March I joined the Vice Provost of University College London, Michael Worton, and the Chief Executive of Santos, David Knox, in Adelaide's historic Torrens Building to welcome Tony Owen, the newly appointed inaugural Director of the UCL School of Energy and Resources Australia. Mr Owen comes to Adelaide from Curtin University of Technology in Perth, where he has been Professor of Energy Economics. He brings a wealth of experience to the role, having held visiting appointments at universities and international agencies in Canada, the United States, Britain and France. The announcement of Tony Owen's new role marked—

Mr Hamilton-Smith interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: If you want to mention my name as 'Rannison' and everything else, then you make yourself fair game. The announcement of Tony Owen's—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Talk about leading with your chin—

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —going over the top.

The SPEAKER: Order!

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: The announcement of Tony Owen's new role marked the start of UCL's presence here in Adelaide, which will bring postgraduate energy and resource degrees to our city from 2010 and professional education courses, starting in August. It will also bring an international energy policy institute to Adelaide, which we hope will be housed in the Torrens Building as part of the government's university city precinct. The precinct also includes Carnegie Mellon University, Cranfield University and will soon include UCL's School of Energy and Resources.

UCL offers a level of academic and research excellence that is known throughout the world, both for its current contributions and for those made by former academics and graduates. UCL is ranked seventh—

The Hon. M.J. Atkinson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Attorney!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: This is important. University College London is ranked seventh on the 2008 list of the world's top 200 universities, compiled by The Times Higher Education Supplement. This world-class ranking places UCL in the same league as Harvard, Yale and Oxford. I should say this, that UCL has been operating for nearly 200 years and it has never ever been located outside of Great Britain until its decision to locate here in Adelaide.

UCL graduates have received a total of 20 Nobel prizes and its alumni include such distinguished individuals as Mahatma Gandhi, Japanese prime ministers Ito and Koizumi, Alexander Graham Bell and even, I am told, the members of the band Coldplay—that is a pop group, known for their interest in Camus.

There is no question that South Australia will benefit greatly from UCL's presence in our state. The Labor government is working to expand our state's skilled workforce and, in particular, to take advantage of the expansion of our resources and energy industries. UCL is a perfect fit for our state with credentials in science, energy and resource management that are second to none. This agreement is an important strategic partnership between government, industry and the university sector.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Self-promotion at our cost. The University College London—self-promotion at our cost. This is the woman who did not want Bevan Spencer von Einem to be DNA tested. They were worried about his civil liberties. It is in Hansard, you were worried about his civil liberties.

This agreement is an important strategic partnership between government, industry and the university sector. Santos—I think there might even be members with shares in Santos—has contributed $10 million to provide scholarships, research funds and sponsorship of the professorial chair being filled by Tony Owen. This represents the biggest dividend so far from Santos's $60 million Social Responsibility and Community Benefits Fund.

I am delighted that Santos has contributed $5 million to the Royal Institution, which we will be establishing in Adelaide. Again, it has existed for more than 200 years, and it is the first time that the Royal Institution of Science will establish anywhere outside the UK, and it will be here in Adelaide. If members opposite come out and attack that I will remind members of what the Leader of the Opposition said at the last RI fundraising event.

Mr Hamilton-Smith interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Well, you supported it.

Mr Hamilton-Smith interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: You were supporting it. You said, 'Oh, we would support this if we were elected.' UCL is now the third—

Mr Hamilton-Smith interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Because you would say anything to anyone in order to please them at any stage. UCL is now the third international university to establish a presence in Adelaide as part of the Labor government's university city vision. These universities will supplement the outstanding programs offered by our three public universities and further Adelaide's global reputation as a city that embraces learning and high quality educational offerings.

If the opposition does not support—given the comments made—UCL coming here or the Royal Institution of Science coming here, then please say so now.

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