News Alerts

Review of Automotive Industry

The Federal Government has initiated a review of the Australian automotive industry to be conducted by the former Premier of Victoria, Steve Bracks.

Mr Bracks will be assisted by an expert panel comprising:

• Mr Tim Harcourt (Chief Economist, Australian Trade Commission);
• Mr Peter Upton (former CEO, Federation of Automotive Products Manufacturers);
• Dr Elizabeth Webster (Principal Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research); and
• Mr Nixon Apple (Industry and Investment Policy Adviser, ACTU).

Under its terms of reference, the review will look at and make recommendations on all aspects of the industry including:

• measures to boost innovation in the sector and to take advantage of the highly innovative nature of the automotive industry;
• measures to ensure that suitably skilled people are available and that fair working practices are guaranteed;
• the impact of climate change policy on the automotive industry;
• the delivery of the Australian Government’s Green Car Innovation Fund from 2011;
• facilitating leadership among Australian automotive producers and component suppliers in developing and adapting fuel efficient technologies and know-how in the production of motor vehicles in Australia; and
• improving Australian companies’ access to global supply chains and export markets.

An interim report will be provided to the Government by 31 March 2008 and a final report by 31 July 2008.  More information is from the website.

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Consultations on Innovation Review set for next month

The Federal Government’s review of the national innovation system, chaired by Dr Terry Cutler, will conduct a round of consultation sessions next month in all capital cities.

The review was announced by the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr, on 22 January (see R&D Info, 23 January, 2008) and is required to produce a Green Paper by the end of July 2008.

A n issues paper will be released this month and written submissions will be invited from interested stakeholders.

As part of the review, the panel will also consider all aspects of the Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Program. It will examine the overall strategic direction of CRCs, looking at the full range of issues, including governance and program design matters, the level and length of funding needed to support the program's objectives, as well as its overall scope and effectiveness.

The timetable for the consultations is as follows:

• 3 March - Brisbane
• 5 March - Darwin
• 6 March - Perth
• 7 March - Adelaide
• 11 March - Melbourne
• 12 March - Hobart
• 14 March - Sydney
• 17 March - Canberra

More information is at www.innovation.gov.au/innovationreview.

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New innovation fund for South Australia in wake of Mitsubishi closure

A $40 million South Australian Innovation and Investment Fund will is to be established with money committed jointly by the South Australian Government, the Federal Government and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation following the announcement by Mitsubishi this month that it will close its Tonsley Park vehicle assembly plant at the end of March.

The new fund will run over three years from 2008-09 to 2010-11 and will:

• support projects that create sustainable, full-time jobs;
• be directed at projects that diversify and strengthen the capacity of South Australia’s manufacturing and industry sector;
• encourage projects supporting the introduction of new innovations or technology, including investment in emerging and growth sectors such as defence and ICT;
• focus on the southern suburbs of Adelaide, and the possible use of the Tonsley Park site and facilities (subject to decisions by Mitsubishi Motors Australia on disposal of the site); and
• provide up to $10 million for strategic infrastructure that improves the competitiveness of the region.

The Commonwealth Government will contribute $27.5 million, the South Australian Government 7.5 million and Mitsubishi Motors Australia has indicated it will invest $5 million in the Fund, subject to final internal approval.

Since the scheme commenced in 2001, Mitsubishi Australia has received around $180 million in ACIS credits.

The Australian Government has also committed to a $500 million Green Car Innovation Fund from 2011 to encourage the Australian automotive industry to develop and manufacture low emission vehicles.

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Work begins on synchrotron beamline for live animal research

Construction has commenced of a new $10 million beamline at the Australian Synchrotron that will be devoted to research into new techniques for medical diagnosis and therapy

The new beamline will be operated by the Imaging and Medical Therapy Centre, to be opened late this year.

The imaging and medical therapy beamline will offer high-resolution, phase-contrast x-ray imaging of small animals and a wide range of engineering materials. It will also enable research into new cancer treatments. The beamline will be 150 metres long, with a satellite building which will later include a patient reception area and an animal holding and preparation facility. All experiment enclosures will eventually have near-beam surgery facilities for fast preparation-to-measurement animal transfers. The first phase of this ‘long beamline’ program will begin commissioning in early 2009.

The beamline will be one of only three in the world configured for work with a wide range of live animals.

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New agri-bioscience research centre for Victoria

A $230 million Biosciences Research Centre at Latrobe University’s Bundoora campus is to be built to house around 400 Department of Primary Industry (DPI) scientists, as well as Latrobe University staff and students.

The Biosciences Research Centre in Bundoora will undertake research across a range of disciplines, from climate change to biosecurity preparedness.

The Victorian Government is providing $180 million for the project and the Latrobe University is contributing $50 million. The new centre is expected to be open in 2011.

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Conferences & Events

Intellectual Property Management in Practice Conference 2008

 

IINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE

CONFERENCE 2008

THE GRACE HOTEL, SYDNEY, 19th – 21st MAY 2008.

19 sessions on key IP issues and emerging trends 

•  3 Workshops

• 7 Case Studies

Are you looking to achieve the best commercialisation deal imaginable whilst proactively protecting your confidential information? Would you like to establish your organisation’s IP as a more strategic part of the business and gain a competitive advantage?

Tonkin Corporation will be holding the IP Management in practice conference on 19th-21st May 2008 at the Grace Hotel in Sydney. Leading IP management specialists and leading law firms in IP have been assembled to identify and draw together all key aspects of IP management including international commercialisation, licensing, protecting confidential information, capital raising, developing strategic collaborations, branding and IP, digital IP management, IP innovation, tax issues associated with acquiring, developing and commercialising IP and best practice IP auditing.

IP Managers, Commercialisation Managers, IP Advisors, IP Strategists, Patent Managers, Trade Mark Managers, Innovation Managers, Licensing Managers, Technology Managers, Legal Counsel and Research and Development Managers are invited to hear from IBM, Licensing Executives Society of Australia and New Zealand, CSIRO, James Hardie, Australian Institute of Commercialisation, Deloitte, KPMG, Watermark and Minter Ellison on:

• reducing IP investment costs and generating extra revenue through licensing

• creating value through cross-fertilisation between public sector research and business

• determining commercial prospects for innovation, inventions and ideas through technology transfer centres

• eliminating the confusion as to where your IP should be based

• protecting core IP assets while encouraging broader collaboration with strategic partners

• establishing a structured innovation framework

• eliminating exposure to material claims of IP rights infringement

• effectively measuring your IP

• managing potential risks of commercialisation; and maximising tax concessions.

Supported by:
IP Australia

Endorsed by:
Licensing Executives Society of Australia and New Zealand
Australian Institute for Commercialisation

Download Programme

Contact Tonkin Corporation at australis@TonkinCorporation.com or telephone 02 9224 6000 to save up to $550 per booking.

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The Genetically Modified Crops Summit — Assessing the future opportunities and challenges of Australia’s GM crop industry

Genetically modified crops: where do you stand?
Play your part in this important debate and contribute to finding workable solutions for all stakeholders.

The Genetically Modified Crops Summit – Assessing the future opportunities and challenges of Australia’s GM crop industry – 21st – 22nd May 2008, Rendezvous Hotel, Melbourne. Visit www.informa.com.au/gmcrops/ex4

The Genetically Modified Crops Summit is focused on assessing the future opportunities and challenges of Australia’s GM crop industry. This is a crucial time for Australian agriculture with the pressure of drought driving many producers into debt and uncertainty. With the Federal Government funds being allocated to research that will cover GM crops and the NSW and Victorian State Governments having lifted the moratoria on GM canola there is a great deal of movement in the industry; many new opportunities are brought to the fore but at the same time opens up an equal number of questions and concerns. GM can be a sensitive topic and arouses considerable discontent: an in-depth debate is vital in ensuring that the introduction of future varieties of GM crops in Australia is done in the best way possible.

The Genetically Modified Crops Summit convenes a premier forum of industry leaders and experts to examine the very real challenges and exciting opportunities the introduction of GM crops can bring. This will be the perfect opportunity for you to gauge your part in the future of GM crops and agriculture in Australia.

Some of the key issues that will be covered in the 2008 Summit include:
• The co-existence of organic and GM crops: A UK perspective
• The ethical debate surrounding GM crops
• A legal perspective on GM foods and bio-fortified foods
• GM pastures and GM wheat – the latest developments
• An overview of the economic impact assessment of GM canola for the Victorian Government
• Using GM drought tolerant wheat to reduce the annual loss suffered by the Australian economy
• Public attitudes towards GM crops
• The challenges of testing GM foods and commodities

Listen to top Australian practitioners and experts including:
• Bob Fiddaman, Chair, Supply Chain Initiative on Modified Agricultural Crops, UK
• Andre Leu, Chair, Organic Federation of Australia
• Scott Kinnear, Director, Biological Farmers of Australia
• Professor German Spangenberg, Executive Director, Biosciences Division, Department of Primary Industries, Victoria
• Dr TJ Higgins, Deputy Chief, CSIRO Plant Industry
• Dr Glenn Tong, Chief Executive Officer, Molecular Plant Breeding Cooperative Research Centre
• Joe Lederman, Managing Principal, FOODLEGAL & Adjunct Professor of Food Law, Deakin University
• Craig Cormick, Manager of Public Awareness, Biotechnology Australia

To request more information about the event please feel free to contact our Customer Service Department at any time on (+61 2) 9080 4307 or email registration@informa.com.au or visit www.informa.com.au/gmcrops/ex4

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Further Education

2008 Clinical Research in Oncology

2008 CLINICAL RESEARCH IN ONCOLOGY
Graduate House
220 Leicester Street
Carlton, Vic 3053
Part One: March 3, 4, 6 & 7
Part Two: May 5, 6, 7 & 9

Overview
Clinical Research in Oncology is an enormous field and integrates the efforts of a multi-disciplinary team of medical and allied health professionals. This course has been designed to bring together this multi-disciplinary group to give them a better understanding of all types of research design conducted and surrogate endpoints derived from laboratory and functional imaging studies.

Students are presented with ethical and legal considerations relevant to clinical research in oncology as well as developing essential skills in critically appraising research presentations and publications. This will give them an understanding of the breadth of opportunity for clinical research in oncology and the various outcomes assessed by oncology clinical trials; including how and why these might differ from other disciplines. Students will also gain an appreciation of all aspects of the concept outline, and the process and requirements for successful conduct of clinical research in oncology.

Who should attend?
Oncologists in training, clinical trials nurses and people in health services, pharmaceutical industry or contract research representatives.

Presenters
• Austin Hospital
• Cancer Council Australia
• Peter MacCallum Centre
• Royal Melbourne Hospital
• St Vincent’s Hospital

Fee
Specialist Certificate in Clinical Research (Oncology) - $4,200

About the program contact:
Danielle Boardman
Project Manager
T: +61 3 9810 3250
F: +61 3 9810 3149
E: d.boardman@soe.unimelb.edu.au
W: www.soe.unimelb.edu.au/oncology

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Managing Clinical Research Projects & Teams

Managing Clinical Research Projects & Teams
12.5 points

Effective management is essential to delivering projects that run on time and on budget and involves managing all resources available to maximise results from the available resources. It is the skill of directing the complex and often problematic interaction of people and events that occur during a research project. Few projects run smoothly, and unforeseen problems are common – but rarely fatal – to research activities. Good planning and appropriate responses to these problems can overcome what seem like enormous obstacles, as well as the common pitfalls that can catch out even the most experienced researchers and managers. Topics covered will include: Designing, planning and managing projects, resource management, including insourcing and outsourcing, project budget management, delivering outcomes, common pitfalls to successful trial implementation, running the trial, analysing and interpreting data, complying with regulations, key stakeholder management and reporting, managing project teams, team work styles, managing and rewarding team performance, and managing conflict.

Managing Clinical Research Projects and Teams

Dates: April 7, 8, 10, 11 2008

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