News

Kerrie Wilson appointed Qld chief scientist

Conservation expert Professor Kerrie Wilson has been named Queensland’s new chief scientist after an almost year-long search by the state government. Professor Wilson, who is currently the Queensland University...

Gig Guide: Health dept exec joins robodebt taskforce

Federal Health department deputy secretary Penny Shakespeare has been appointed to support the taskforce inquiring into potential breaches of the public service code in the wake of the Robodebt Royal...

Dreyfus given responsibility for biometrics, identity policy

Responsibility for biometrics and identity policy in the federal government, as well as the controversial national facial recognition database that remains non-operational, will move under Attorney General Mark Dreyfus...

Way forward on AI regulation divides Australia

Australia’s regulatory response to artificial intelligence is shaping up as a battleground for the Albanese government, with a divergence of views emerging from its two-month long consultation on the...

Australian dual-use tech must serve global market: Industry

Local companies have called on the federal government to aggressively support local dual-use technology exports to reach an internationally competitive scale, as a pathway to developing Defence capability. The...

Defence urged to create sovereign industry panel

A panel of Australian-only defence industry suppliers should be created by the Department of Defence to support advanced capability and build supply chain resilience, two local firms have argued...

Cicada takes charge of Sydney’s next biomedical incubator

Cicada Innovations will run a new biomedical incubator at the Westmead Health and Innovation District after landing a $7.8 million grant from the New South Wales government. The long-running...

Small suppliers stuck outside Canberra’s ‘in-crowd’

Small businesses feel excluded from Canberra’s “in-crowd” of suppliers and say competition mechanisms — including the Albanese government’s latest attempt — are being overlooked. A new paper reveals the...

Semiconductor bureau preps local industry for global growth

The Semiconductor Sector Service Bureau (S3B) officially launched in Sydney on Wednesday night, aiming to help plug Australian businesses into a booming global supply chain by connecting industry and...

Tech Council: We’re gonna need a bigger room

The Australian tech sector came to Canberra on Wednesday evening, with 34 software and hardware companies from across a broad spectrum of the economy setting up demonstration booths in...

ASCA eyes sovereign drones for first innovation challenge

Defence’s Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator is seeking information on Australian sovereign uncrewed aerial system and trusted autonomy capability, as it begins industry engagement for its first innovation challenge. Through...