The Metrology Society of Australia Conference - More than Kilograms and Metres - will focus on advances in metrology, new equipment, techniques and the importance of measurements in the course of all commercial, industrial, and scientific activities. The conference provides an opportunity for the broader metrology community, including government, industry leaders, suppliers and metrologists, to interact and look beyond measurement.

The Warren Centre's 2009 Innovation Lecture Series starts in June in Brisbane. This year's lecture - From Australia to the world, the story of Google maps - features Dr Lars Rasmussen from Google and will also be held in July in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.

AusMedtech2009 - A Roadmap for Global Success will provide information from key medical technology stakeholders to help you plot your course to global success. Quality assurance systems and implementation, regulatory approvals, reimbursement, finance and investment, distribution and sales networksare topics to be tackled at the conference in Sydney in June.

The Biological Farmers Association of Australia 2009 Roadshows are regarded as an essential tool in assisting industry communication in a period of sustained growth. There will be 13 roadshows in regional and metropolitan centres in six states and territories. Speakers include A-Grade organic farmers who have done the hard yards and are willing to share their knowledge with other growers, as well as researchers and experts in their fields such as soil health and farming applications.

Tourism grants from $5000 to $500,000 are available in three catgeories under the Australian Government's TQUAL Grants program that replaces the Australian Tourism Development Program. Grants are open to tourism businesses, tourism organisations, non-profit organisations and local government agencies. Applications close on Thursday 11 June 2009.

Register now to have your say as an Australian business owner, association member, are affected by or have an interest in business policies and regulations. The Australian Government's Business Consultation website is designed to help government agencies work with businesses, associations and individuals on reducing red tape.

Written submissions on proposed reforms to Australia's intellectual property system are being called for by the Australian Government. Proposed reforms are designed to help Australian innovators take their inventions to a global marketplace and encourage foreign investors to bring their new technology to Australia. Information on the proposed reforms will be contained in a series of papers, the first two being Getting the Balance Right and Exemptions to Patent Infringement. The closing date for submissions is Friday 8 May 2009.

Recent AusIndustry announcements

AusIndustry is staging Green Car Innovation Fund information sessions in five capital cities, starting Monday 4 May 2009. Those cities are Adelaide (Monday 4 May), Sydney (Tuesday 5 May), Brisbane (Wednesday 6 May), Melbourne (two sessions on Friday 11 May) and Perth (Tuesday 15 May). GCIF offers grants from $100,000 for projects that significantly reduce fuel consumption and/or greenhouse gas emissions of passenger motor vehicles.

A low-cost security eye scanner that is almost 100 percent accurate and a DNA test to customise individual fitness programs are among 33 innovative projects to share in more than $2.1 million of Commercialising Emerging Technologies (COMET) program grants to bring their products and services to market.

AusIndustry project highlights

From a Canberra garage, Locata invented a ground-based satellite positioning system for , which for the first time ever, replicates GPS on the ground. The company was "completely blown away" by the Australian Government support it received through the R&D Tax Concession and Tradex, which helped make the project possible. Its system will work well in the mining and construction industries and for emergency services.

Canberra's GPSports Systems Pty Ltd is kicking goals internationally with innovations in sports performance information technology. The company received help in its early days from the Commercialising Emerging Technologies (COMET) program, and is registered for the R&D Tax Concession.