Australia’s life sciences community will gather in Melbourne next month for the AusBiotech International Conference, with confirmation that Senator Tim Ayres, the Federal Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science, will address delegates during the nation’s biggest week in biotech.
The conference is expected to attract over 1,600 participants, including representatives from more than 20 countries. It will showcase Australian companies and innovations shaping future health and wellbeing, while highlighting the sector’s growing role in global markets.
Minister Ayres’ attendance underscores the Albanese Government’s recognition of biotechnology as a critical industry for Australia’s future, not only as a driver of medical breakthroughs but also as a cornerstone of high-tech manufacturing, sovereign capability, and productivity growth.
AusBiotech CEO Rebekah Cassidy said the conference comes at a pivotal time for the sector. “The world around us is changing. International markets and countries are hungry for health innovation. With biotechnology marked as a critical sector here in Australia, the time is now for deep conversations about our role in building global health solutions and strengthening Australia’s national resilience and sovereign capabilities,” she said.
Cassidy noted that the sector is maturing and poised to play a larger role in Australia’s innovation-driven economy amid shifting trade dynamics, health security challenges, ageing populations, and climate change. “This year’s conversations will not only showcase the extraordinary success and potential of Australia’s life sciences sector but also place it in the context of global shifts and emerging opportunities,” she said.
With more than 2,900 life sciences organisations employing one in every 60 Australians, the sector is already a national strength with the potential to expand further onto the global innovation stage. The 2025 program will feature more than 250 speakers across 60 sessions, providing a platform for discussion, debate, and collaboration on the most pressing issues in biotechnology and medical technology.
Year after year, AusBiotech has broken attendance records, a trend Cassidy said reflects both confidence and scale. “In 2025, the world is not only watching Australia’s life sciences sector but also coming here to partner, invest and collaborate with Australian companies,” she said.