NSW: NSW and Aust must capitalise on biotech opportunities: Egan

AAP General News (Australia)
04-02-2001
NSW: NSW and Aust must capitalise on biotech opportunities: Egan

SYDNEY, April 2 AAP - Australia needs to ensure it capitalises on the growing biotechnology
industry, New South Wales treasurer Michael Egan said today.

Opening the Globalisation of the Biotech Industry conference in Sydney, Mr Egan said
NSW and Australia were well-placed to become world leaders in the field.

He said New South Wales accounted for 40 per cent of Australia's biotechnology industry
with "emerging clusters" within the field developing across the state.

"It seems to me that New South Wales and Australia are already well placed," he said.

"We have good, strong, world-class agricultural industries and one of the biggest health
and hospital systems, but also some of the best medical researchers in the world.

"Also we have biotechnology clusters emerging in a number of regional areas throughout
New South Wales such as Wollongong, Newcastle, Lismore, Armidale, Orange and Wagga."

Mr Egan said the state government was committed to doing whatever it could to ensure
New South Wales and Australia made the most of biotechnology opportunities.

"You don't have to be an expert to appreciate the enormous transformation biotechnology
offers for the quality of our lives or our success economically," he said.

The globalisation conference is continuing with experts from the medical, agricultural
and business sectors participating.

AAP nf/jjs/mjm/bwl

KEYWORD: BIOTECH

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