30 May 2003

The export trade in Australian native flowers and foliage from Queensland is expected to grow into a $60 million industry in a decade through research and development programs in a new centre at The University of Queensland’s Gatton campus.

Queensland Premier Peter Beattie, University of Queensland Vice-Chancellor Professor John Hay and Dr Aila Keto, President of the Australian Rainforest Conservation Society launched the Centre for Native Floriculture at Parliament House.

The State Government is providing $2 million over three years to establish the Centre, which grew out of the South East Queensland Regional Forest Agreement to gradually eliminate bush harvesting of native flowers and foliage.

Professor Hay welcomed the establishment of the Centre and thanked the State Government for its support. He said he expected the work of the Centre would attract further support from other interested stakeholders.

He said the basic genetic resources to further the development of the floriculture industry could be found in Queensland.

“The existing skills and knowledge in value chain management, breeding and biotechnology and capacity building at UQ and other Queensland institutions and agencies can be utilised to ensure industry development,” he said.

“The Queensland native flower industry has nowhere near realised its potential for a variety of reasons, but the signs are entirely optimistic it will,” he said.

The world trade in cut Australian native flowers is estimated at $400 million per annum and expanding by 7 percent annually, of which Australia and Queensland are estimated to supply only 10 percent ($40 million) and 2.5 percent ($9 million) respectively.

Australia is believed to hold one of the greatest ranges of floricultural bio-diversity in the world, with an estimated 25,000 native species, an estimated 30 to 50 percent of which are found in Queensland.

Business development and floriculture research at the Centre will address problems such as the small size of production units, geographic disbursement and a lack of focus on market and new product development.

Mr Beattie said the floriculture industry could become an important part of his Government’s Smart State initiative and predicted it would create jobs in regional and rural areas of Queensland.

“It is good for the environment (especially our native forests and the animals that live in them); it earns export dollars; it creates jobs; and it is perfectly adapted to thrive on Queensland’s rich biodiversity,” Mr Beattie said.

The establishment of the Centre had its roots in the University’s 2001 commissioning by the State Government to conduct a feasibility study and business development plan for the commercial production of native flowers and foliage.

Andrew Cecil, Manager Innovation and Commercial Development with the University’s main technology commercialisation company UniQuest Pty Limited, played a significant role in developing the Centre.

This included undertaking the feasibility study and developing the business plan for the Centre, and negotiating the terms of the contract with the Queensland Department of State Development.

“UniQuest looks forward to working with key stakeholders in the commercialisation of the Centre’s research outcomes. The establishment of the Centre represents a significant milestone in the responsible exploitation of our native flora”, said UniQuest Managing Director, David Henderson.

Media: For more information, contact Brad Turner at UQ Communications on 07 3365 2659.