Southern hemisphere's largest chemistry precinct to be located in Perth

25/6/04
The southern hemisphere's largest chemistry precinct will be established in Perth.
The precinct will perform a number of important chemistry functions, involving police forensics, air and water quality monitoring, salinity and greenhouse research and chemical spill and contaminated sites analysis.
The establishment of the precinct will see more than 200 professional research and teaching staff come together, as the State Government's Chemistry Centre is co-located with Curtin University's Department of Applied Chemistry and other tenants in a new purpose-built complex adjacent to CSIRO's Minerals Laboratories at Curtin University.
State Development Minister Clive Brown said the establishment of the chemistry precinct would assist in the creation of knowledge-based jobs and opportunities for Western Australians.
"When I was in San Francisco recently for the Bio 2004 Conference, I was told repeatedly that the world was crying out for quality chemistry," Mr Brown said.
"The establishment of the chemistry precinct will provide high quality chemistry services for organisations like the WA Police and both local and international industry.
"By locating close to Bentley's Technology Park, the chemistry precinct will be near a number of bio and other high-tech companies, creating a cluster of knowledge based operations that will create exciting new jobs and opportunities."
The Minister said the new chemistry precinct would also play an important role in the fight against crime.
"Modern policing is increasingly drawing upon chemistry services in forensic activities such as crime scene investigation, illicit drug analysis and coronial toxicology," Mr Brown said.
"The WA Police Service has drawn upon the services of the chemistry centre for many years and with the new chemistry precinct set to have even greater capacity, science is set to play an even greater role in the Government's fight against crime."
The Minister also announced that the State Government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Curtin University, the University of Western Australia, Edith Cowan University and Murdoch University that would see the establishment of the Western Australian Institute of Chemical Sciences.
While detailed planning of the Institute would occur in the months ahead, the Institute was envisaged to take responsibility for co-ordinating the participants' activities in education, training and research to improve chemistry within Western Australian universities.
"The establishment of the Institute of Chemical Sciences will assist young Western Australians prepare for the knowledge based jobs that the chemistry precinct will create," Mr Brown said.
Minister's Office - 9222 9699