Vic govt pledges support for bio conference

Victoria's government has pledged up to $55,000 in sponsoring industry group AusBiotech's major conference in August.

The four-day National Biotechnology Conference and Investment Forum will see about 1000 national and overseas delegates converge on Melbourne from August 18.

Announcing the support today, Innovation Minister John Brumby said Victoria's hosting of the event would "further enhance its status as Australia's innovation capital".

"AusBiotech 2002 is about building Australia's international biotechnology reputation and advancing Victoria's goal of becoming one of the world's top five biotechnology locations by 2010," Brumby said.

"Victoria's top biotech companies will be given opportunities to network with industry peers and attract investment for commercialising their research and development."

Brumby also said the timing of the conference was ideal, coming just two months after Bio 2002 where he and Premier Steve Bracks planned to attract international investors and businesses to Melbourne for the event.

He said the government's sponsorship of the event was the latest in a long list of Bracks government initiatives aimed at helping Victoria's biotech sector to grow.

"Fostering our ability to come up with better and smarter products and services is the key to driving future economic growth in Victoria," he said.

AusBiotech's web site lists the Victorian State government as a "diamond sponsor" of the event alongside the Commonwealth government and IBM.