CRMI is celebrating their 20th year in Westmead and has ambitious plans for a staged expansion. Stage one, is a $29 million investment that will result in over 9,000 m2 of floor space and allow CMRI to house 200 researchers.
Stage two is estimated to cost $36 million and will deliver almost 15,000 m2 in floor space to accommodate 300 researchers. Finally stages three to five will result in 22,500 m2 of floor space, enough room for more than 600 researchers for the precinct.
I congratulate CRMI's director Roger Reddel for his vision and the Minister for Health and Medical Research, Jillian Skinner MP for her commitment of $20 million to the new facility.
CRMI is important not just for its internationally recognised research into childhood diseases and genetic disorders but for its contribution to the Westmead Bio-Medical Precinct.
CRMI undertakes cutting-edge research into childhood diseases, advancing treatment of cancer, obesity, kidney, heart and respiratory problems, diabetes and muscular dystrophy.
Westmead is the largest Bio-Medical Precinct in Australia. It is not only home to CRMI but also the Millennium Institute, Westmead Hospital, Westmead Children's Hospital, Westmead Private and a wide range of health specialists.
Westmead Hospital has more than 5,000 staff, treats more than 51,600 emergency patients and has more than 29,400 admissions per year.
It also incorporates 150 departments, including unique services such as: the NSW Paediatric Burns Unit; the NSW Paediatric Liver Transplant Unit; the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance; the first Paediatric Tumour Bank in the southern hemisphere; the NSW Newborn Screening Service; and the National Poisons Information Centre.
The combined clinical practice and research capabilities enable Westmead to deal with difficult and complex cases.
The importance of the Precinct extends beyond the significant number of people treated. Close proximity of medical services and researchers within the Precinct facilitate 'agglomeration' where organisations benefit from economies scale and network effects.
The clustering of organisations encourages the free flow of ideas, cross-fertilization and innovation magnifying the multiplier-effects to significantly enhance economic activity.
For instance, recently I was at the launch of the PET-CT scanner at Westmead Hospital. The $2.5m million scanner is a major investment in infrastructure and improves treatment times and patient outcomes.
The scanner is shared between the Hospital and the Children's Hospital. This maximises its investment through better utilization of infrastructure.
Similarly, the close proximity of researchers, clinicians and teaching facilities within the Precinct produces the positive effects of agglomeration.
The Precinct offers a continuum of clinical practice from research, training, trial to delivery in the one Precinct. It's the 'Silicon Valley' of bio-medical services in Western Sydney.
This may explain in part, Westmead having the highest level of post-graduates in NSW as it offers a great place to live and work in close proximity.
I believe that the most important challenge for Western Sydney is to grow employment in Western Sydney. Jobs created in the bio-medical industry are inherently highly knowledge-intensive and are highly desirable given the relatively large multiplier-effect compared with other industries.
Westmead Precinct has established itself as a major international hub for research, teaching and clinical practice. The Precinct has developed a significant competitive advantage in Australia and with continued investment in R&D will build on its momentum.
The Westmead precinct and proposed education-medical precinct at Penrith offers the opportunity for Western Sydney to rapidly capitalise on Westmead's success and further develop high-value jobs in Western Sydney.
Medical researchers at the University of Sydney's Westmead Millennium Institute were awarded a $2.5m National Health and Medical Research Council grant to establish a Centre for Research Excellence (CRE) in Critical Infectious Diseases at Westmead.
