UTAS RECIEVES REGIONAL RESEARCH COLLABORATION FUNDING
The Coalition Government will invest more than $3.5 million in the University of Tasmania to build capacity in research, training and environmentally sustainable production of critical metals.
Minister for Regional Education, Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie said more than $19 million is being invested in a range of projects to boost the research capabilities of Australia’s regional universities and, with it, create strong and thriving local economies.
Minister McKenzie said she was excited to announce the ‘Environmentally Sustainable Production of Critical Metals project’ as one of five projects to be funded under the Coalition Government’s Regional Research Collaboration program.
“Australia produces world-class research, and we want our regions to contribute to that proud tradition as well as reap the benefits from it, creating more resilient regional economies,” Minister McKenzie said.
“This project will create a sustainable critical metal industry right here in Tasmania, playing a key role in how we can optimise methods, devise new workflows for processing and make improvements to waste management for the industry.
“It will help create more job-ready graduates in Tasmania particularly in west and north-west regions and develop long term research and industry partnerships to support the critical metals sector.
“The Coalition Government continues to build on its more than $120 billion investment in regional Australia – the engine-room of our nation’s economy – to ensure a sustainable, prosperous and secure future for people living in the regions.
“By contrast, Labor has no plan or vision for regional centres. Labor Leader Anthony Albanese can barely bring himself to mention the word ‘region’.”
Member for Braddon, Gavin Pearce welcomed the announcement for the region and said the project champions world class research being undertaken in the Braddon electorate.
“The Regional Research Collaboration program supports the Coalition Government’s agenda to strengthen tertiary education in regional and remote Australia and works to align the research conducted at Australian universities with our National Manufacturing Priorities,” Mr Pearce said.
“A strong Liberal Nationals Government can ensure the delivery of more projects that grow our regional communities, while Labor continues to neglect and ignore regional Australians.”
Director of the University of Tasmania’s Centre for Ore Deposit and Earth Sciences, Professor David Cooke, said sustainable growth, in an economic and environmental sense, was integral to the University’s contribution in regional communities.
“The funding of the Environmentally Sustainable Production of Critical Metals project will assist us in building a skilled jobs-ready local workforce, in partnership with regional industry partners,” Prof. Cooke said.
“This is research that draws on our unique location and contributes meaningfully to global priorities.”
The Regional Research Collaboration program was announced as part of the Coalition Government’s Job-ready Graduates program, and addresses a key recommendation from the Napthine Review to grow the tertiary education sector in regional Australia.
Only the Morrison Joyce Government will continue to deliver a better future for Tasmania, and this is part of our plan to build a strong economy and a stronger future.
More information is available at https://www.dese.gov.au/regional-research-collaboration-program
