❓ Mr. Taylor asks about the Science on the Swan conference and the state government's science statement. Mr. Barnett responds, outlining the scope of the science portfolio and the focus areas of the new science statement, while also addressing interjections from other members.
AnsweredQoN 265Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SCIENCE ON
THE SWAN CONFERENCE
265. Mr M.H. TAYLOR to the
Minister for Science:
Today marks the commencement of a
three-day conference, Science on the Swan, showcasing some of the best health
and medical research that Western Australia has to offer. I understand that the
minister launched the state government's science statement for Western
Australia at this conference. Can he please update the house on this important
initiative?
THE SWAN CONFERENCE
265. Mr M.H. TAYLOR to the
Minister for Science:
Today marks the commencement of a
three-day conference, Science on the Swan, showcasing some of the best health
and medical research that Western Australia has to offer. I understand that the
minister launched the state government's science statement for Western
Australia at this conference. Can he please update the house on this important
initiative?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question and for his interest in
science, particularly in aquaculture. He is extremely knowledgeable in that
area.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for West Swan! Member for Warnbro!
Mr R.H. Cook : Can
you hold it at the Perth Observatory or are you shutting that as well?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
think the member, by his interjection and by some media comments he made a few
weeks ago, shows his lack of comprehension of the science portfolio.
Mr W.J. Johnston interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Cannington, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
What is specifically within the portfolio of science is relatively limited: it
includes the Office of Science, a small unit; supervision of the ChemCentre;
the Square Kilometre Array; and Scitech. That is not what science is about. The
comments made by the opposition spokesman a few weeks ago reflected that the
opposition saw the science portfolio in its most narrow focus. It is not the
reason I took on that portfolio; it has a broad focus. The minister responsible
for science work in medical research is the Minister for Health. The minister
responsible for research and science in agriculture is the Minister for
Agriculture and Food, and so it goes on. The Office of Science and what I do in
the science portfolio is try to raise the level of science. One thing that
struck me when I came into that portfolio was the lack of clear documentation
of exactly what our science capacity was, what direction science should be
taking in this state, what our institutions were and what our national and
international collaborations were. The document that I launched today, called
simply ''A Science Statement for Western Australia'' —
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Members opposite should read it, particularly the Deputy Leader of the
Opposition. It details the science capacity of this state, which has not been
done before. It is an impressive capacity.
Mr R.H. Cook interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
It is not; it is a statement.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Mr Speaker, I am getting really tired of this.
The statement identifies that
Western Australia, through a lot of discussion and consultation in the science
community, amongst the universities and within government, will concentrate on
five key areas: medicine and health; obviously two areas coming from our
economic base, agriculture and food, mining and energy; biodiversity and marine
science; and radio astronomy. That does not mean we will not have science in
other areas, but that is going to be the focus of science.
As the Minister for Science, I am using our relationship with
Asia to build collaborations. We are not doing this solely; sometimes the
universities and departments are involved. Just in the last year, collaboration
occurred between the University of Western Australia and the University of
Mumbai, whose officials I met with a week ago, on oceanography and marine
science in the Indian Ocean region. Australia and India are the two dominant
economies in the Indian Ocean with the capacity to do that. By sheer chance,
when I was in China meeting with the Governor of Jiangsu province, I was
talking about the recently established Keiran McNamara Conservation Science
Centre here in Perth and he remarked to me that Jiangsu was the major area for
botanical research in China. They have already collaborated. Further
arrangements have been made.
This time last week I was talking to the director of the
Agency for Science, Technology and Research, the major science and technology
institution in Singapore, and I hope collaboration will occur there. Science
will probably do more than any other area to build links between sectors in our
economy, to employ more people and to diversify our economy. But we will not go
into areas in which we have no absolute or comparative advantage; we will
concentrate on those areas in which we have a unique advantage, such as
biodiversity. This is one of the most biodiverse places in the world. Perth is
the most biodiverse city in the world. We will concentrate on that. For the
first time there is a clear direction for science. Members opposite may laugh
and ridicule. The 330 scientists at the conference this morning endorsed this
approach.
science, particularly in aquaculture. He is extremely knowledgeable in that
area.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for West Swan! Member for Warnbro!
Mr R.H. Cook : Can
you hold it at the Perth Observatory or are you shutting that as well?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
think the member, by his interjection and by some media comments he made a few
weeks ago, shows his lack of comprehension of the science portfolio.
Mr W.J. Johnston interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Cannington, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
What is specifically within the portfolio of science is relatively limited: it
includes the Office of Science, a small unit; supervision of the ChemCentre;
the Square Kilometre Array; and Scitech. That is not what science is about. The
comments made by the opposition spokesman a few weeks ago reflected that the
opposition saw the science portfolio in its most narrow focus. It is not the
reason I took on that portfolio; it has a broad focus. The minister responsible
for science work in medical research is the Minister for Health. The minister
responsible for research and science in agriculture is the Minister for
Agriculture and Food, and so it goes on. The Office of Science and what I do in
the science portfolio is try to raise the level of science. One thing that
struck me when I came into that portfolio was the lack of clear documentation
of exactly what our science capacity was, what direction science should be
taking in this state, what our institutions were and what our national and
international collaborations were. The document that I launched today, called
simply ''A Science Statement for Western Australia'' —
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Members opposite should read it, particularly the Deputy Leader of the
Opposition. It details the science capacity of this state, which has not been
done before. It is an impressive capacity.
Mr R.H. Cook interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
It is not; it is a statement.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Mr Speaker, I am getting really tired of this.
The statement identifies that
Western Australia, through a lot of discussion and consultation in the science
community, amongst the universities and within government, will concentrate on
five key areas: medicine and health; obviously two areas coming from our
economic base, agriculture and food, mining and energy; biodiversity and marine
science; and radio astronomy. That does not mean we will not have science in
other areas, but that is going to be the focus of science.
As the Minister for Science, I am using our relationship with
Asia to build collaborations. We are not doing this solely; sometimes the
universities and departments are involved. Just in the last year, collaboration
occurred between the University of Western Australia and the University of
Mumbai, whose officials I met with a week ago, on oceanography and marine
science in the Indian Ocean region. Australia and India are the two dominant
economies in the Indian Ocean with the capacity to do that. By sheer chance,
when I was in China meeting with the Governor of Jiangsu province, I was
talking about the recently established Keiran McNamara Conservation Science
Centre here in Perth and he remarked to me that Jiangsu was the major area for
botanical research in China. They have already collaborated. Further
arrangements have been made.
This time last week I was talking to the director of the
Agency for Science, Technology and Research, the major science and technology
institution in Singapore, and I hope collaboration will occur there. Science
will probably do more than any other area to build links between sectors in our
economy, to employ more people and to diversify our economy. But we will not go
into areas in which we have no absolute or comparative advantage; we will
concentrate on those areas in which we have a unique advantage, such as
biodiversity. This is one of the most biodiverse places in the world. Perth is
the most biodiverse city in the world. We will concentrate on that. For the
first time there is a clear direction for science. Members opposite may laugh
and ridicule. The 330 scientists at the conference this morning endorsed this
approach.
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