Australian Biotech Alliance formed

The competition between Victoria, NSW and Queensland over which state has the best biotechnology industry appears to have been resolved today with an agreement to form the Australian Biotech Alliance.

Premiers Steve Bracks, Bob Carr and Peter Beattie signed a Memorandum of Understanding this morning at the Australian Genome Research Facility in Melbourne, cementing the alliance.

The goal of the alliance is to ensure the three states, which account for the majority of Australia's $12 billion biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, work together to build the industry.

"It's vital that we all work together to ensure these companies are able to expand into world markets and create jobs," Carr said.

Bracks said the alliance would strengthen Australia's competitive advantage in the international biotechnology industry. Australia ranks sixth in the world in terms of the number of biotechnology companies.

Premiers Bracks and Beattie will promote the new alliance later this month when they attend BIO2003 in Washington DC.

Among the initiatives planned for the alliance is the development of a "one-stop" contact point for international investors, coordinated trade delegations to events such as BIO and close collaboration with Commonwealth agencies including AusTrade and Biotechnology Australia in promoting the industry.

In addition, the alliance will promote the development of joint efforts on issues such as cancer research and biosecurity, as well as foster collaboration and exchange of talents between the states.

AusBiotech executive director Tony Coulepis said the industry welcomed the alliance. Australia was too small to promote individual states over one another, he said.

"We hope that it will deliver what it promises, fostering collaboration, minimising competition and growing the industry. But the industry also has some scepticism about how the powerful conglomerate could be utilised," he said.

Coulepis noted that using the alliance as a lobbying tool to outmanoeuvre the other states would be damaging to the industry. "It's all about a united front for Australia."

The Premiers said that the other states and territories in Australia would be welcome to join the alliance.

The States will now work together to develop potential projects and initiatives for collaboration.