Presented by Robert Clark MP		www.robertclark.net

Funding for science and technology research

The State Government will inject $310 million into knowledge and innovation-creation programs.

The funding is to be provided during the next five years through the Investing in Innovation program and will be used to help build relationships between government, business, and educational and research institutions so that ideas can be successfully developed and commercialised in Australia.

The projects include:

· $8 million to expand science and technology education in schools.

· $5 million for co-location of the Macfarlane Burnet Centre for Medical Research within the Alfred Medical Research and Education Precinct.

· $5 million in the first year for the Technology Commercialisation Program.

· $1 million for state-of-the-art technology for magnetic resonance imaging at the Brain Imaging Research Institute.

· $2.1 million in the first year to address the specialist skill and training requirements for the semiconductor industry.

· $4.8 million for the development of a Victorian Electronic Records Strategy.

· $1 million for information and communications technologies skills development.

· $12.4 million in the first year for the Growing Horizons Initiative to strengthen Victoria's capabilities in food and agricultural science.

· $300,000 to develop business planning and entrepreneurship training for university research students.

· $2.2 million in the first year to canvas and develop infrastructure projects of national significance, support the process of project selection and raise public awareness of the importance of science, engineering and technology to Victoria’s future.

(News Release, Offices of the Premier and the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, May 4, 1999)