Research in South Australia and the new RAH

Background
In 2005 the SA government was faced with completion of the RAH redevelopment Plan (begun in 1997 and hitherto having cost $130m). The next project was major - the demolition of the old Residential wing and building New Wards with single rooms and ensuites. This was costed at $600m or thereabouts.
Government turned to private sources for funding. New buildings on the existing site were not appropriate for Public Private Partnerships (PPP’s) and so government selected the railway yard for that purpose.
Government stopped RAH redevelopment and began planning for a new hospital but, how would it cope with the recreation of the Research Powerhouse at the Frome Road precinct?
The Hanson institute, Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science (IMVS), Medical and Dental faculties and the RAH had an enviable record and performed above their weight in National Health and Medical Research Council funding.
Government then commissioned the Shine / Young report which recommended:

1. Establishment of a single research Institute
2. Establishment of a state-based Research fund
3. Greater research capacity

Government and Shine /Young were relatively silent about a number of facts;

1. RAH, IMVS, Hanson Research Institute, medical and dental faculties of the University of Adelaide represent the powerhouse of South Australian medical research (Frome Rd Precinct). They regularly perform above the national average for National Health and Medical Research Council funding.
2. Other research bodies in South Australian health arenas are underperformers with respect to National Health and Medical Research Council funding.
3. The Frome Rd Institutions are strengthened by collocation. The partnership would be severely compromised if the flagship Hospital is moved or if research support is redirected. There is no plan to replicate the University of Adelaide (Medical and Dental Faculties), the Hanson Institute, the IMVS and the hospital at the railway site.

Disruption of any of these institutional connections would put at risk their previously high performance and reputation. It is likely that the relocation of the hospital would give rise to debate and the possibility of transfer of the Medical Faculty to UniSA. It is widely thought that the government barracks loudly for UniSA and Flinders and is unlikely to support the University of Adelaide in a turf war. Minister John Hill at a meeting of concerned senior medical practitioners in mid 2008 said that he was "sick of hearing about the Hanson institute".
Given the outstanding reputation of the Frome Rd educational and Hospital precinct it would appear to be an Anti-Intellectual plan to disrupt these synergies.
It says a lot about South Australia if we appear to make anti-intellectual decisions so that we can accommodate PPP’s.
Everyone welcomes the federal research grant of $200m but let’s use it wisely-spend it near or in the crucible of medical research, the Frome Rd Precinct.
A good place for Govt to start is to consult disenfranchised researchers and educators at the coalface-not with their selected interstate and unconnected spokespeople who say what the government wants for fear of causing offense.