IT’S OFFICIAL: QUEENSLAND IS AUSTRALIA’S SMART STATE
Published Tuesday, 24 October, 2006 at 01:01 PM
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
Premier Peter Beattie today launched the Smart State Progress Report 2006/07 at the official opening of the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI) at QUT.
This new $70 million Institute – the second major Smart State project to open in as many days – was supported by $22.5 million through the Queensland Government’s Smart State Innovation Fund.
Mr Beattie said he was delighted to release the report at the same time as celebrate the opening of another Smart State research success story.
“Queensland is realising the Smart State vision, with our economy continuing to outperform every other state, our ongoing jobs growth and the lowest unemployment in a generation, as well as record investment in infrastructure,” Mr Beattie said.
“IHBI is an ideal example of the Smart State at work,” he said.
“It is attracting top-class minds from Germany, Switzerland, Singapore, the United States and other countries, and providing research and learning opportunities for Queenslanders, which highlights just how serious Queensland is about the brain gain.”
The Smart State report shows Queensland has built strong economic foundations and is making significant inroads in the key areas of education, skills, research and innovation.
“The report shows 65% of Queenslanders had post-school qualifications in 2005 – up from 52% in 2002,” Mr Beattie said.
“That’s a growth of 13% and, with the $1 billion Skills Plan and the introduction of Prep Year in 2007, we are strengthening the entire education system to give our kids and the Smart State every chance of continued growth and future success.”
At $60 per person, the report identified that the Queensland Government spent more on research than NSW ($44), Victoria ($40) and the Commonwealth, which allocated $41 per head in Queensland.
The report found Queensland businesses were now investing more on R&D, with expenditure up 135% from 1999-2000 to 2004-05, to total over $1 billion.
The report additionally shows knowledge-intensive merchandise exports grew 77.2% between 1998-99 and 2004-05. “That’s double the national rate,” said the Premier.
“Queensland universities also rose to the challenge, spending almost 60% of their total R&D expenditure on applied and experimental research which was more than universities in other states,” Mr Beattie said.
“Along with a strong Government vision and investment, the partnerships we’ve facilitated with industry are also delivering big time,” he said.
“Queensland is demonstrating a critical mass in world-class research capabilities in many areas. Recently the Queensland Brain Institute drew 17 neuroscientists from its rivals interstate.
“Then there’s the importance of collaboration, such as the agreement between the Queensland Government, QUT and Microsoft Australia which will create one of only 12 eResearch labs in the world. This will provide scientists with advanced technologies on a global scale to accelerate their scientific efforts and the likelihood of discovery.
“And we are already seeing significant results in the Smart State, such as Professor Ian Frazer’s vaccine for cervical cancer at the University of Queensland.
“With the addition of IHBI at QUT, the Smart State just got smarter.”
The Smart State Progress Report 2006/07 is available online at www.smartstate.qld.gov.au.
/ends
October 24, 2006
Media Contact: 3224 4500
This new $70 million Institute – the second major Smart State project to open in as many days – was supported by $22.5 million through the Queensland Government’s Smart State Innovation Fund.
Mr Beattie said he was delighted to release the report at the same time as celebrate the opening of another Smart State research success story.
“Queensland is realising the Smart State vision, with our economy continuing to outperform every other state, our ongoing jobs growth and the lowest unemployment in a generation, as well as record investment in infrastructure,” Mr Beattie said.
“IHBI is an ideal example of the Smart State at work,” he said.
“It is attracting top-class minds from Germany, Switzerland, Singapore, the United States and other countries, and providing research and learning opportunities for Queenslanders, which highlights just how serious Queensland is about the brain gain.”
The Smart State report shows Queensland has built strong economic foundations and is making significant inroads in the key areas of education, skills, research and innovation.
“The report shows 65% of Queenslanders had post-school qualifications in 2005 – up from 52% in 2002,” Mr Beattie said.
“That’s a growth of 13% and, with the $1 billion Skills Plan and the introduction of Prep Year in 2007, we are strengthening the entire education system to give our kids and the Smart State every chance of continued growth and future success.”
At $60 per person, the report identified that the Queensland Government spent more on research than NSW ($44), Victoria ($40) and the Commonwealth, which allocated $41 per head in Queensland.
The report found Queensland businesses were now investing more on R&D, with expenditure up 135% from 1999-2000 to 2004-05, to total over $1 billion.
The report additionally shows knowledge-intensive merchandise exports grew 77.2% between 1998-99 and 2004-05. “That’s double the national rate,” said the Premier.
“Queensland universities also rose to the challenge, spending almost 60% of their total R&D expenditure on applied and experimental research which was more than universities in other states,” Mr Beattie said.
“Along with a strong Government vision and investment, the partnerships we’ve facilitated with industry are also delivering big time,” he said.
“Queensland is demonstrating a critical mass in world-class research capabilities in many areas. Recently the Queensland Brain Institute drew 17 neuroscientists from its rivals interstate.
“Then there’s the importance of collaboration, such as the agreement between the Queensland Government, QUT and Microsoft Australia which will create one of only 12 eResearch labs in the world. This will provide scientists with advanced technologies on a global scale to accelerate their scientific efforts and the likelihood of discovery.
“And we are already seeing significant results in the Smart State, such as Professor Ian Frazer’s vaccine for cervical cancer at the University of Queensland.
“With the addition of IHBI at QUT, the Smart State just got smarter.”
The Smart State Progress Report 2006/07 is available online at www.smartstate.qld.gov.au.
/ends
October 24, 2006
Media Contact: 3224 4500