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Abbott Opens $18M Pfizer Australia Learning Centre

Friday April 29, 2005

Federal Minister for Health and Ageing, Tony Abbott, has unveiled Pfizer Australia’s new Learning and Conference Centre at West Ryde, Sydney…and declared it open for use by the local community.

Named the Lord Florey Learning and Conference Centre, the $18 million centre will provide innovative facilities to Pfizer Australia’s staff as well as the local community.

The Centre is being made available to western Sydney community groups and schools, who will have access to facilities like a 130-seat, state-of-the-art auditorium and hi-tech training and break-out rooms.

The Centre is named after Lord Florey, the Australian scientist who in 1940 discovered how to utilise and mass-produce penicillin. Pfizer devised the first manufacturing system for penicillin’s mass production in 1943, saving countless WWII soldiers from deadly infection.

Pfizer Australia Managing Director, John Young, said "Pfizer Australia continues to uphold Lord Florey’s innovative spirit, both in terms of new medicines we are developing for diseases such as Cancer, AIDS, Diabetes and Heart Disease, as well as embracing innovation as a fundamental way we run our business".

“It’s encouraging to see a company that is investing in staff development and also going out of its way to include its local community,“ Mr Abbott said.

Pfizer Australia is the nation’s leading research-based health care company, investing $A36m in local research and development annually. It discovers, develops, manufactures and markets innovative medical treatments for both humans and animals. For more information visit the links on this site.