Embargoed until May 15, 2009
$25 million for new National Desal Centre at Murdoch
Murdoch University has today been awarded $20 million by the Federal Government to
host Australia’s new National Centre of Excellence in Desalination.
The federal funding over five years was announced this morning by Parliamentary
Secretary for Regional Development and Federal Member for Brand, Gary Gray.
It will be topped by up to an extra $5 million from the Western Australian state
government.
The WA-based Centre, based at Murdoch’s Rockingham campus, will bring together the
country’s leading desalination and water science research organisations.
Murdoch University now becomes an integral part of the federal government’s 10-year
$12.9 billion Water for the Future strategy which recognises the vital importance of
developing world-class research to address current and future demand for water in
Australia.
Murdoch University Vice Chancellor Professor John Yovich said the new Centre would draw
together the nation’s top scientists in desalination to provide solutions to the water crisis,
and build on Murdoch’s historical research strengths in renewable energy, water and
environmental sciences.
“Murdoch University is excited to lead and coordinate national and international research
collaborations in energy-efficient desalination technology for use in Australia’s unique
circumstances and indeed rural, city and industrial locations around the world,” Professor
Yovich said.
“This important new national research hub at Murdoch will offer energy-saving solutions to
safeguard future water supplies for both consumers and industry, and these new
technologies will have widespread application for the benefit of all Australians.”
Professor Yovich said the Centre’s location at Murdoch’s Rockingham campus would enable
immediate use of ready infrastructure including laboratories, offices, and pilot plant
facilities.
It was ideally placed near commercial areas, the coastal strip and major industrial water
users at Kwinana, and would be a major boost to the regional city of Rockingham.
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A spokesman for one of the international consortium partners, Sandia National
Laboratories (SNL), New Mexico, said it was thrilled to hear of Murdoch's successful bid
to host the National Centre of Excellence in Desalination.
"Strong international research collaboration is essential for solving the world's problems,
and this new centre will enable Australia to make meaningful progress to the pressing
problem of global water security,” Senior Manager and SNL Water Program Lead John
Merson said.
“We look forward to building strong ties with Murdoch University and the other centre
participants."
Murdoch expects to engage with many national and international organisations,
including:
Affordable Desalination Collaboration,
California, USA;
Brackish Groundwater National
Desalination Research Facility, New Mexico;
Curtin University of Technology, WA;
Edith Cowan University, WA;
Flinders University, SA;
The Middle East Desalination Research
Centre (MEDRC);
The University of New South Wales;
The University of Queensland;
Sandia National Laboratories, New
Mexico, USA;
Singapore’s National Research
Foundation;
University of South Australia;
Victoria University;
The University of Western Australia, and;
Water Corporation
Murdoch University Vice Chancellor Professor John Yovich is available for
interview.
Please contact:
Tanyia Maxted
Manager, Media & Communications, Murdoch University
9360 2491; 0438 645839
t.maxted@murdoch.edu.au
Photos and vision of new facility are available: Hi-res photographs and TV-quality
rushes are also available of the Vice Chancellor and Gary Gray at Murdoch’s desalination
scientists at the Rockingham facility.
NEWS 
