New Albanese ministry urged to advance Aust innovation

The second Albanese ministry was officially sworn in today, 10 days after the Labor government emerged victorious from the federal election — and the new-look ministry has been widely welcomed by various organisations.

Cooperative Research Australia (CRA) looks forward to working with the government to advance Australian innovation and the nation’s economic diversity, with CEO Jane O’Dwyer saying the government has a historic opportunity and mandate to advance a bold agenda centred on research, science, innovation and productivity.

CRA has welcomed the appointment of Senator Tim Ayres as the new Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science, describing him as longstanding advocate for Australian manufacturing, jobs and sovereign capability who brings deep experience and commitment to a portfolio central to Australia’s prosperity and global competitiveness.

“Senator Ayres has long championed the role of Australian industry in nation-building, and we have very much valued working with him as Assistant Minister for Future Made in Australia,” O’Dwyer said.

“We are looking forward to continuing to work with him on the opportunities that arise from closer collaboration between research and industry, and on advancing programs like the Cooperative Research Centres Program, which have a strong track record of commercialisation, job creation, and long-term national benefit.”

O’Dwyer also paid tribute to outgoing Minister for Industry and Science, Ed Husic, thanking him for his leadership and his commitment to research, science and innovation over many years.

“Minister Husic has been a tireless advocate for the innovation agenda,” she said. “We thank him for his support of the CRC Program, his establishment of the Strategic Examination of Research and Development, and for bringing renewed national attention to the importance of Australian innovation. We look forward to his continued involvement as a champion of Australia’s capacity to change its future.”

The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) has also extended its gratitude to Husic for his dedication and service, with CEO Kylie Walker describing him as “a genuine and committed advocate for Australian science and technology and a leader for diversity and inclusion across the STEM-fuelled sectors”.

Walker continued: “He’s shaped policy, investments and outcomes in cutting-edge technologies, national research infrastructure, the innovation system, and science diplomacy. His leadership was instrumental in championing major reviews of diversity, research and development funding, and the National Science and Research Priorities, among others.

“Mr Husic has played an important role in placing science at the forefront of Australia’s industrial transformation, and elevating First Nations knowledge systems as a core strength of our national potential.”

Walker said that ATSE now looks forward to working with Ayres — as well as incoming Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy Andrew Charlton and the rest of the cabinet — to shape Australia’s future as an innovation powerhouse, enabling economic transformation.

“We urge Cabinet to look to the Strategic Examination of Research and Development as an innovation roadmap — a way forward to a more prosperous future-fit Australia,” she said.

“We also look forward to working with the ministry to develop Australia’s workforce through the Elevate: Boosting diversity in STEM program, and to support Australia’s growing international research and development collaboration through the Global Science & Technology Diplomacy Fund.”

Finally, the Australian Academy of Science has said it looks forward to working with the new government to provide independent, evidence-based science advice to shape policies that benefit all Australians. It has begun by outlining seven immediate priorities for the federal government:

1. Embrace the Strategic Examination of R&D — the most comprehensive review of the R&D system in decades — to recognise and position R&D as a key driver of productivity, economic diversity and international competitiveness.
2. Co-invest in the Academy’s philanthropically supported Global Talent Attraction Program to urgently fill R&D capability gaps in Australia.
3. Urgently modernise Australia’s high-performance computing and data infrastructure — our supercomputers — which are reaching their end of life and cannot meet the growing demands of science, defence, industry and society.
4. Respond to the policy shifts in the United States, including emerging vulnerabilities to Australian national R&D capabilities such as vaccine development, climate modelling, quantum computing and advanced manufacturing.
5. Urgently develop a strategy to guide Australia’s approach to international scientific collaboration, so we can compete in the global scientific and technological race, build economic resilience and national security, and position science and technology as a critical lever in diplomacy.
6. Develop an AI investment plan to build national AI capability across the R&D system, including in fundamental AI science.
7. Reform the National Science and Technology Council to enable Cabinet decision-making to be informed by the best available evidence.

“Redesigning our R&D system is critical to boosting productivity, diversifying the economy, creating jobs and building Australia’s future,” said Academy President Professor Chennupati Jagadish.

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