Mr RICHARDSON (2:26 PM) —My question is addressed to the Minister for Health and Ageing. Would the minister advise the House how government funding for medical research is contributing to better health outcomes and, in particular, examining factors contributing to the growing problem of obesity in our society?

Mr ABBOTT (Minister for Health and Ageing) —I thank the member for Kingston for his question. I can inform him and other members that health and medical research is one of Australia’s strongest areas of comparative economic advantage. It is not necessarily widely recognised, but in international terms Australia’s health and medical research is just a strong as our sport. Australia has produced no fewer than six Nobel prize winners in health and medical research. The heart pacemaker, the ultrasound scanner, the bionic ear, aspro, penicillin and, most recently, a vaccine for cervical cancer were all discovered in Australia or by Australians.

This week the government announced a further $529 million in research grants funded through the National Health and Medical Research Council. This money is important because today’s research is tomorrow’s new drugs or new medical treatments. This funding includes some $6.5 million for research at Flinders University, which would interest the member for Kingston. It also includes some $15 million for anti-obesity research, including almost $1 million for anti-obesity research conducted at South Australian universities. I am very pleased to say that health and medical research funding has increased fivefold since 1996 thanks to the policies of the Howard government. This very substantial boost in health and medical research funding is one of the many reasons why our health system remains amongst the best in the world.