Timothy Best’s AussieInnovation weblog

One of the catalysts for the creation of this Australian Innovation Community was the Review of the National Innovation System. We helped gather (and workshop) submissions as well as discussing the issues they raised. Several months on, the submissions have been read and the preliminary findings compiled.

One of our founding members, Jeremy Byrne, was on hand at this year’s InnoFuture conference to see Terry Cutler speak about the green paper the day after its launch, and Byrne has since delved into the story behind the story.

His analysis can be found below. Welcome to Wake of the Venturous…

Part one: Context
Part two: Recommendations
Part three: Implications (available soon)

In a recent speech at the Melbourne Institute 2008 Economic and Social Outlook Conference, called New Agenda for Prosperity, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research Kim Carr said that, innovation was “the only way a country with first-world wages and living standards can stay in the game.”

Anyone interested in making a submission should definitely have a read through the complete text:

• “ New Agenda for Prosperity“

It offers insight into the Government’s approach to the system and where it sees a need for improvement, as well as some of the paths it’s exploring to move forward, especially in the context of the world stage.

He said, “There are emerging giants of the so-called BRIC group – Brazil, Russia, India and China – for whom action tends to speak louder than words.

“Forget about them moving into high-tech, high-value activities at some far-off time in the future. They are doing it now.”

Brazil has legislated to provide incentives for research cooperation between universities, research institutes and private companies and that Russia is giving small businesses access to intellectual property created by the federation’s vast network of public research organisations.

“This is the kind of policy activism we need to match if we are to build the future Australians want for themselves and their children,” he said.

He outlined several initiatives including changes to the role of chief scientist, the establishment of new innovation and manufacturing centres, as well as ways to foster greater collaboration.

He also made his commitment to listening to the community clear, calling the Review a “a watershed inquiry that will shape the innovation agenda for the next decade and beyond,” and then adding, “You have until the 30th of April to make a submission.”

To discuss the topic in our forums click here.

The speech by Prime Minster Kevin Rudd to the New Agenda for Prosperity Conference, Melbourne University, not only highlighted his Government’s commitment to innovation but outlined in broad strokes its plans for long term economic change. These were centred on the three “P”s: “productivity, workforce participation and population growth.”

You can read the complete speech here:

• “Towards a Productivity Revolution, A new Agenda of Micro-Economic Reform for Australia“

It touches on plans for new work-place relations system in 2010, computers for every Year 9 to 12 students, tax reform targeted at giving people more incentive to work, and the need for immigration to keep Australia young.

On innovation he said, “We are also reviewing Australia’s whole national innovation system, with the goal of making the changes necessary to foster greater investment in research and development and build a stronger culture of innovation in businesses.”

He also highlighted the great importance of building a high-speed National Broadband Network, calling broadband “a fundamentally transforming technology of the future” and saying that “our ability to engage in the global digital economy of the twenty first century will be a key driver of our productivity growth.”

He also declared that he was determined to lead “a reformist government” that will develop “innovative, long-term solutions to Australia’s long-term economic challenges.”

To discuss the topic in our forums click here.