Australian Innovation System Report 2012 Compendium of Program Updates

GeoMap.WA Software

The Department of Mines and Petroleum’s (DMP) Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA) has disseminated regional geoscientific data for over 100 years. The release of GeoMap.WA, a new Geographical Information Systems (GIS) viewer for Windows, compliments a range of delivery methods for the distribution of this information.

GeoMap.WA harnesses leading-edge computer programming technologies to create a tool to provide improved access to a range of geological map and landscape information in a GIS.

This innovative desktop application is designed to create a customised view of geoscientific- resource and other government information on home, office or field computers. GeoMap.WA provides the ability to view data in a way that does not require specialised skills or costly computer systems.

GeoMap.WA provides three key innovative functions (1) on-the-fly re-projection (2) GPS connectivity (3) ability to join user defined database tables and files.

There were 592 downloads of the application within six weeks of release. A significant amount of interest was also shown at a demonstration to the Government Geologist Information Centre (GGIC) and the Queensland and Tasmanian Geological Surveys.

Website for further information and to download GeoMap.WA:

http://www.dmp.wa.gov.au/datacentre

Email: [e-mail]

Global Rare Disease Networks (Public Health)

The WA Department of Health has formalised partnerships with European Commission Directorate General of Health initiatives under Framework Program 7 (FP7)

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  HEALTH.2012.2.1.1-1-C: databases, biobanks and ‘clinical bio-informatics’ hub for rare diseases as a full partner and Australian lead agency in the RD-CONNECT, a large scale integrated platform connecting registries, biobanks and clinical bioinformatics for rare disease research;
  
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  HEALTH.2012.2.4.4-3: Best practice and knowledge sharing in the clinical management of rare diseases. FP7-HEALTH-2012- INNOVATION-1 as a full partner and the lead Australian Agency in the RARE-Bestpractices, a global platform for developing and sharing best practices for management of rare diseases;
  
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  Full partner and facilitating and coordination of Australian contribution to the International Rare Disease Research Consortium (IRDiRC) a Global consortium established to develop 200 new therapies and code most rare diseases by 2020.
  
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  Partner and lead agency for Australia of the ORHANET consortium of 38 Nations focussed on the epidemiology, clinical centres of excellence, improving care and reducing the burden of rare disease to health services;
  
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  A unique clinical trials centre for novel therapeutic interventions using exon skipping and related technology for the purposes of advancing personalised therapy;
  
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  ICORD, International Conferences on Rare Disease and Orphan Drugs, linking agencies involved in policy development and regulation.
  

The aim is to promote collaborative healthcare planning for the rare disease community and their stakeholders. Including 8 Centres of excellence from across Australia, linked to 25 international partners; RD-CONNECT, 36 International Partners; RARE-Bestpractice 23 key international collaborators; Three (3) International Consortia; Orpahnet, 37 collaborating Nations; IRDiRC, 22 international funding partners under a joint NIH and EU structure; and Human Variome Project.

Landgate Spatial Sciences Studio

Since 2007 Landgate and Curtin University, Perth have had an ongoing strategic alliance and partnership. The two parties agreed to a MOU to collaborate for the purpose of developing and promoting education and research in geographic information science, surveying and cartography in the spatial sciences field.

Landgate was instrumental in funding and developing a leading education facility at Curtin University known as the Landgate Spatial Sciences Studio. The key objectives of the collaboration are to:

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  Foster, develop and promote various educational initiatives in the spatial sciences field.
  
• 
  Improve education and employment opportunities for students in the spatial sciences field.
  
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  Develop and implement a strategy to encourage indigenous students to enrol in spatial sciences courses and offer a scholarship to indigenous students for this purpose.
  

Website for further information:

www.landgate.wa.gov.au

Western Australian Public Sector Innovation Working Group

The Western Australian Public Sector Innovation Working Group (the Group) formed at the request of the State's Executive Coordinating Committee, includes representatives from the Departments of Commerce, Agriculture and Food WA, Premier and Cabinet, Mines and Petroleum, Landgate, Department of Transport the Public Sector Commission, Indigenous Affairs as well as Australia Post.

The Group is currently nearing the completion of a WA Public Sector Innovation Action Plan which aims to foster, develop and implement innovation in the public sector, ultimately for the benefit of all Western Australians.

Whilst developing the Action Plan the Group:

• 
  delivered a highly successful Public Sector Innovation Workshop, held in November 2011, which focused on public/private collaborations and included renowned speakers, active discussion, networking opportunities and information sharing, and knowledge exchange. In the lead up to the workshop the Department of Commerce engaged in a series of internet communications trials which ultimately allowed public sector employees based in regional areas to participate in the workshop via group teleconferencing;
  
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  is developing a group of ‘Innovation Champions' which is a group of specifically chosen public servants who meet to address and develop new and creative ways to foster greater innovation in their respective agencies; and
  
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  is developing an innovation portal on its Innovation Gateway website as a platform for public sector employees to discuss and generate innovation in the sector.
  

The Department of Commerce is completing a review of the State's Intellectual Property Policy.