The Victorian Government has announced it will move to cut burdensome red tape surrounding funding requirements and access for the state’s medical research institutions.

State Minister for Innovation, Louise Asher, said that the State Government would move to cut back the Operational Infrastructure Support (OIS) Innovation Support survey, which institutions must fill out every year to access renewed funding.

“From 2013/14, the OIS Innovation Output survey – which currently has over 60 questions – will be cut back substantially, to reduce the administrative burden on institutes,” Ms Asher said.

Ms Asher said the new, streamlined survey will be 80 per cent shorter than the previous one.

Professor Doug Hilton, Director at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute said government red tape is a huge burden on the research community and stifles creativity and hinders discovery.

“On behalf of the entire medical research sector I would like to congratulate Minister Asher and the Victorian Government on reducing the burden associated with the Operational Infrastructure Support program – this is a great step forward,” Professor Hilton said.