InnovationAus Podcast: Recent Episodes
innovationaus
James Riley and the InnovationAus team talks to corporate, academic and political leaders about what’s driving the transformation of Australia’s economy toward a 21st Century mindset. InnovationAus is an independent publication that reports on government policy as it affects technology-based innovation across the nation’s growth industries. From mining and agriculture to financial services, MedTech, cyber security and advanced manufacturing. The journalism focuses on the opportunities that align with Australia’s strategic priorities and connects government, institutional researchers, investors, entrepreneurs and the mainstream business community.
The Strategic Examination of R&D (SERD) report was handed to the minister last December. There is a growing intensity to the debate about the direction the government should take on industry policy. InnovationAus.com editor Justin Hendry takes a deep dive.
Professor Roy Green is a special advisor on innovation at the University of Technology Sydney and a director at CSIRO. He is also an expert on innovation systems, and the policies that drive their success. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, Professor Green talks with optimism about building Australia's economic resilience and industrial capacity.
Welcome to the first episode of Powering What’s Next, brought to you by GE Vernova, where we'll explore the technologies, policies and partnerships shaping Australia's energy transition and what it will take to build a more reliable, affordable and sustainable energy future.
In this episode, Corrie McLeod, publisher, InnovationAus.com is joined by Aaron Scott, business development leader for electrification systems at GE Vernova and David McElrea, chief executive of the Smart Energy Council.
Together, they unpack the realities of Australia's path to net zero, exploring the infrastructure, technology and policy settings needed to deliver the energy transition. They discuss the growing role of battery storage, grid modernisation and data centres, the challenges of attracting investment and accelerating project delivery, and why Australia must take a system-wide approach to energy reform.
The trio also examine how renewable energy can strengthen Australia's industrial competitiveness, improve energy security and position the nation to become a global clean energy superpower.
The $540 million Australian Business Growth Fund was set up under the former Coalition government in Canberra in 2020. In this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, James Riley talks to ABGF chief Anthony Healy about the funding gap he is trying to fill. And for local companies with a solid growth story, there is advice on how to get on the ABGF's radar.
It was a big week for Australia's national science agency CSIRO as chief executive Doug Hilton delivered his first address to the National Press Club, outlining an ongoing restructure that aims to sharpen the institution's science focus on industry. James Riley and Justin Hendry read the tealeaves.
InnovationAus editor Justin Hendry and senior reporter Joseph Brookes read the tea leaves on AI policy at the Labor national conference in Adelaide, discuss a revamp of a flagship federal startup program, and highlight a recasting of Australian Research Council grants.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, Cicada Innovations chief executive Liza Noonan says governments have a giant role to play as potential 'first customers' for innovative Australian deep tech companies.
Australia’s cyber security challenge has moved past the question of whether to adopt Zero Trust. The real test is now whether it actually works. In this episode of Commercial Disco(very), InnovationAus.com publisher Corrie McLeod sits down with Elastic’s area vice president of national security Sean MacKirdy to discuss why AI-powered threats are driving the need for real-time visibility, proactive response and mature Zero Trust architectures across government and critical infrastructure.
Australia wants electric trucks on its highway, but where do they charge? In this episode of Commercial Disco(very), eLumina chief executive Lisa Marsh explains why charging infrastructure, not vehicle technology, is the real barrier to freight electrification.
A highly anticipated speech by the Prime Minister this week reset Australia's AI policy. But it lacked key details and any mention of how local startups and researchers will benefit. InnovationAus editor Justin Hendry was in the room and unpacks the detail, plus how the sector reacted.
National AI Centre executive director Lee Hickin spent a career in some of the largest tech companies in the world, from Microsoft to Amazon Web Services. He is now at the helm of a nationwide effort to drive the planning and adoption of AI across the economy. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, Mr Hickin says the nervousness among SMEs about AI is real, but so is the upside.
Some of the most consequential policy decisions of the Albanese government's current term are expected to be announced in the coming weeks, on data centres, AI and copyright. In this episode of NewsWrap, InnovationAus editor Justin Hendry looks at the policy development process, and unpacks some likely outcomes.
Australia's Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy delivered a new Defence industry development strategy (DIDS) to a packed house at the National Press Club this week. There were few surprises, with a focus on the minister's ongoing procurement reform. InnovationAus editor Justin Hendry unpacks the detail.
A 32-year veteran of the Australian Army, Lieutenant-General Michelle McGuinness CSC is Australia's National Cyber Security Coodinator, working as a senior uniformed officer inside the civilian Department of Home Affairs. In this episode of Delivery, she discusses how the tech industry, government and critical infrastructure providers are coming together to make the country more resilient.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, InnovationAus.com publisher Corrie McLeod talks to Bradfield Development Authority chief executive Ken Morrison and a BDA board member Dr Cathy Foley about how Bradfield City is being built to help Australia turn world-class research into globally competitive industries. They discuss the role of the Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility (AMRF), the importance of advanced manufacturing and semiconductor packaging, and why creating the right innovation ecosystem could enable more Australian companies to scale, manufacture and grow locally.
In this episode of NewsWrap, InnovationAus editor Justin Hendry digs into the looming policy showdown on AI copyright. The issue has been the subject of blushingly large lobbying campaigns in Canberra, with the policy debate happening largely behind closed doors. The PM says major announcements are scheduled for the middle of July.
Australia's public sector has no shortage of data. The problem is turning it into actionable intelligence. Elastic's A/NZ regional vice president of public sector and education Anna Mascarello steps through the challenge with InnovationAus.com publisher Corrie McLeod on the Commercial Disco(very) podcast.
Australian Federal Police chief technology officer Krissie Auld began her career as an environmental researcher studying water birds, an unusual starting point for a leader charged with operating cutting edge infrastructure for a key national security agency. In this episode, Ms Auld talks candidly about horizon scanning strategies, and how she engages with industry to keep across the best available tech.
In a big week for tech news, James Riley and Justin Hendry talk through Pauline Hanson's populist grab for AI job displacement unhappiness, the CGT changes and the Trump administration's Anthropic export control bombshell.
In this episode of Delivery, Digital Canberra deputy director-general Bettina Konti talks through the task of consolidating a fragmented government technology environment into a whole-of-government digital capability.
In this weekly review of technology and innovation policy news, Senior Reporter Joseph Brookes discusses landmark speeches from Industry minister Tim Ayres and assistant minister for the Digital Economy Andrew Charlton on the federal government's data centre expectations. James Riley talks DefenceTech with Major-General Mick Ryan.
Mick Ryan is the author of The War for Ukraine: Strategy and adaptation under fire, a book that chronicles not only the war in Europe, but also the fast-evolving innovations that are driving battlefield progress, and the use of private companies and private capital to drive change. This is a fascinating discussion of innovation ecosystems.
In this episode of NewsWrap, senior reporter Joseph Brookes and James Riley unpack a lively week in Senate estimates as the federal government's Capital Gains Tax changes pass the Senate. Joe previews what next for the Senate inquiry into the changes.
Former Industry minister Kim Carr spent 30 years in the Senate and is best known for his years as Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research. He has been a champion of industry policy even away from the portfolio. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, he reflects on the fundamental responsibility of politicians to find way to lift the living standards of citizens.
Building sovereign industry capability should be the central organising principle of government, former industry minister Ed Husic says, calling for a renewed national effort geared toward economic resilience.
In this episode of Delivery: A GovTech Podcast, the Department of Home Affairs' deputy secretary responsible for Critical Infrastructure and Protective Security Brendan Dowling talks through the challenges of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, and makes a point about trusted suppliers and black-box algorithms.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, SYPAQ Systems chief executive describes the 30-year journey that led to the company's "overnight success", as it captured the imagination of Australians with its flat-pack, cardboard drone sent to the frontlines of the war in Europe.
In this week's NewsWrap, InnovationAus.com's James Riley and Justin Hendry discuss PsiQuantum's surprise move to Moreton Bay, the federal government's pause on one of its most important commercialisation programs, and the latest with the CGT startup fight.
In this episode of Delivery: A GovTech Podcast, publisher Corrie McLeod speaks with Thales' APJ vice-president for cyber security specialists Matthew White about the gap between compliance-driven security and genuine operational resilience.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco, Independent MP Allegra Spender discusses the 2026 federal budget and the impact of proposed changes to the capital gains tax discount on the startup sector.
Sydney headquartered startup Q-CTRL was named by Time magazine as one of the 10 Most Influential New Frontier Companies in the world, an accolade it shared with companies like IBM Quantum and SpaceX. In this episode of Commercial Disco, CEO Michael Biercuk talks about the growth trajectory of its Ironside Opal quantum navigation system, as well as issues like ITAR and the proposed changes to the CGT discount.
As the dust settles on Jim Chalmers' fifth Budget, the Australian startup sector has reacted to the proposed changes to the Capital Gains Tax discount ... and they're not happy. In this episode of NewsWrap James Riley talks to InnovationAus.com editor Justin Hendry about this and other big stories for the week.
Fresh from lockup, the InnovationAus.com team digs into the Albanese government's 2026 budget to unpack the initial response to SERD, sweeping changes to R&D tax incentives and cuts to commercialisation grants to pay for science and research.
In this week's NewsWrap, InnovationAus.com's James Riley and Justin Hendry discuss upcoming changes to federal procurement rules to keep pace with AI, growing calls for stronger AI oversight and why the startup community is sounding the alarm over CGT reforms.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, InnovationAus.com publisher Corrie McLeod talks to DigiCert chief trust officer Lakshmi Hanspal about the impact of artificial intelligence on the foundational trust systems that have helped protect the internet for decades.
In this episode of the DELIVERY: A GovTech Podcast, Services Australia general manager for Customer and Staff Digital Platforms Jordan Hatch discusses the evolution of digital, the opportunities for AI, and the challenge of chipping away at tech debt.
The biggest tech news stories of the past week are the two year anniversary of Australia's stake in PsiQuantum and Defence's new Secretary. In this episode of NewsWrap, we unpack both, plus Justin's trip to German manufacturing heartland and more.
For the past two years, the enterprise technology conversation has been about artificial intelligence. But the real transformation challenge is not about AI, it's about the core systems and data operating underneath. IBRS senior advisor Dr Joe Sweeney talks with InnovationAus publisher Corrie McLeod on the Commercial Disco podcast.
The Department of Parliamentary Services is responsible for one of the most geographically diverse technology operations in Australia, covering 246 electorate offices around the country, in addition to the specialist services it runs at Parliament House in Canberra. In this episode of Delivery: A GovTech Podcast, CIO Mike Webb talks about the information systems keeping the wheels of demoncracy turning.
There are no shortage of world-class innovations coming through the Australian MedTech sector. But too often these innovative companies have to find their first customers overseas - because Australia's health sector procurement teams have a blind-spot for local suppliers. Professor Ian Meredith is a veteran of the local MedTech sector and joins the Commercial Disco to discuss this paradox.
Australia's research supercomputers are the critical digital layer of national research infrastructure. They underpin industry-relevant research as varied as resources and energy, pharmaceuticals and human health, and the environment. Mark Stickells, CEO at the Pawsey Supercomputer Centre, talks through what it takes to build one of this massive systems.
The biggest tech news story of the past week is a new National Defence Strategy and investment plan. In this episode of NewsWrap, we unpack both and what it means for Australia's Defence and dual use tech ecosystem.
Kersti Eesmaa is the former Ambassador of Estonia to Australia, and a key driver behind efforts to build a Cyber Civilian Reserve. The civilian reserve force would provide a surge capacity of cyber professionals in the event of large-scale cyber attack, to help existing Defence and public sector cybersecutiry personnel.
As he approaches his fifth year as CEO at the Digital Transformation Agency, Chris Fechner talks through the biggest challenges facing government technology operations, and outlines the Commonwealth's approach to AI adoption. He also puts the case for local companies engaging with government buyers.
The biggest tech news story of the past week is the Artemis II mission. After more than 50 years, Humankind heads back to the moon. In this episode of NewsWrap, we talk about the echoes of the past - and in particular, the amazing flight of Apollo 8.
Modernising government systems is easier said than done. The journey from ambition to delivery means navigating legacy systems, security requirements, workforce capability gaps and the persistent challenge of scaling beyond pilots. In this episode of Delivery: A GovTech Podcast, Leidos Australia's Kate Parr unpacks the complexity.
The NSW government-funded RNA Research and Pilot Manufacturing Facility at Macquarie University will start producing its first product batches this year. The facility was borne out of a $100 million government commitment in 2021, as Covid was still playing havoc with supply chains. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, RNA Australia CEO Paul McDonald talks about the genesis of the program - and how it will help build generations of commercial treatments and therapeutics.
In this episode of Delivery, James Riley talks to Services Australia chief information and digital officer Charles McHardie on what it to build resilience and performance into a large-scale system as critical as the social security technology networks. From staffing to AI to engagement with the industry, this is a deep dive into one of GovTech's biggest challanges.
The Semiconductor Sector Service Bureau (SB3) has embarked on a project supported by the Rozetta Institute to develop a National Semiconductor Roadmap. Dr Cathy Foley, having previously worked on the National Quantum Roadmap while she was at CSIRO, talks to James Riley about where Australia has capability in semiconductors.
In this episode of Delivery: A GovTech Podcast, we talk to Finance department Chief AI Officer about the roll-out of artificial intelligence across the federal government, and the best ways to engage with government on AI projects.
Rhys Kissell is an electrical engineer who focused on the electro-magnetic spectrum. He is ex-Navy and an electronic warfare specialist. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, Mr Kissell talks about a recent visit to a defence technology trade show in Ukraine, and how he is building a DefenceTech startup call Panop to help the war effort.
The long awaited Data Centre Principles landed this week (albeit re-branded as 'expectations') and the federal government announced that it would fast-track negotiations to join the $155 billion Horizon Europe research program. Justin Hendry and James Riley talk through the biggest stories in Australian tech policy.
In this episode of Commercial Disco, InnovationAus.com publisher Corrie McLeod speaks with Mandy Andress, chief information security officer at Elastic, about the evolving cyber landscape for government.
Science and Technology Australia CEO Ryan Winn joins editorial director James Riley on the Commercial Disco to pick through the entrails of the Strategic Examination of R&D (SERD review), outlining the highlights for science of its 20 recommendations.
In this episode of NewsWrap, James Riley and InnovationAus.com editor Justin Hendry unpick the many threads of the Strategic Examination of R&D and its many recommendations.
Science communicator Zion Lights has been a prominent voice in the UK on issues of climate and energy. She is a one-time spokesperson for environmental group Extinction Rebellion, but has changed her views and now argues forcefully for nuclear energy as the most effective way to decarbonise the grid.
In this episode of Commercial Disco, InnovationAus.com publisher Corrie McLeod talks to the global CEO of Smart Communications Leigh Segall about what's next for digital government, and explores emerging issues of Trust and Technology in the public sector.
In this special episode of NewsWrap [LIVE] InnovationAus.com editor Justin Hendry talks to James Riley about the biggest tech stories of the week, including Atlassian's 1,600 job cuts, Allegra Spender's tax reform proposals, and the new AI CRC dollar commitments that won't arrive until 2028.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco, shadow spokesman for Science, Technology and Innovation Aaron Violi renews Opposition calls for government to lift the 25-year moratorium on nuclear energy. The data centre opportunity demands it, he says.
On a day that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney came to Canberra to sell the benefits of middle power collaboration on sectors like critical minerals and AI, InnovationAus editor Justin Hendry joins James Riley to discuss the week's biggest stories.
In the episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, University of NSW Scientia Professor Toby Walsh talks to InnovationAus publisher Corrie McLeod about what it will take – including government investment in Australian capability – to take advantage of global AI opportunities and mitigate global AI risks.
In this episode of NewsWrap, InnovationAus.com editor Justin Hendry and James Riley discuss the changing AI policy landscape, the DTA's naughty list and a sudden IBM value crash.
In this episode of NewsWrap, InnovationAus.com editor Justin Hendry and James Riley discuss Andrew Charlton's attendance at the AI Impact Summit in India, the Queensland Premier David Crusafulli on PsiQuantum and NSW Minister for Planning Paul Scully on a new semiconductor packaging facility being built in western Sydney – and everything else that happened in tech this week.
Victor Hoskins is the CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority in Virginia, a state that boasts the highest concentrations of data centres in the world. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, he talks to James Riley about making the most of the current data centre boom, and says there are lessons that Australia can learn from the Virginia experience.
In this episode of News Wrap, editorial director James Riley and editor Justin Hendry examine what's ahead in 2026, including the government's outstanding legislation agenda, the Strategic Examination of Research and Development, and the DTA's disappointing review of tech mega deals.
In this episode of Commercial Disco, SmartCrete CRC chief executive Clare Tubolets warns that Australia risks missing a multibillion-dollar global opportunity in low-carbon concrete unless governments maintain ambitious net-zero targets and help remove the systemic barriers to adoption. She explains why Australia’s research, supply-chain collaboration and technical capability put it in a strong position to lead -- but only if policy settings, procurement frameworks and risk-sharing mechanisms evolve to match the science.
Australia talks endlessly about innovation, but struggles to turn ambition into impact. In this episode of Commercial Disco, Rozetta Institute chief executive Paul Dalby explains why the real problem isn’t technology or talent, but coordination — and how fixing systemic barriers across AI, energy and critical minerals could unlock billions in national value. Dalby outlines Rozetta’s unconventional, self-funded model and argues for a sharper focus on agency, resilience and industrial strategy in a more volatile global economy.
In this episode of Commercial Disco, journalist and author Jacob Ward argues that AI is accelerating faster than our understanding of human behaviour, creating systems optimised to exploit our cognitive biases rather than elevate our decision-making. He warns that without new safeguards — from “cognitive liberty” protections to cultural norms that reject over-reliance on AI — we risk flattening human creativity, autonomy and agency at global scale.
In this special episode of InnovationAus' weekly NewsWrap, join publisher Corrie McLeod, editor Justin Hendry and correspondent James Riley on a trip down memory lane, reliving the big themes of the year's reporting.
In this episode of Commercial Disco, National Reconstruction Fund Corporation chief executive David Gall says Australia is “nowhere near running out of opportunities”, emphasising that the real constraint is patient capital — not a shortage of investible companies. He explains how the NRF is backing firms across medtech, manufacturing and critical minerals, while crowding in private investment to bring more Australian innovation through long commercialisation cycles.
In this episode of News Wrap, editorial director James Riley and editor Justin Hendry examine the attention Australia's social media ban is gathering around the world, the government walking back a plan for expert AI advisers and Defence's evolving tech stack.
In this episode of Commercial Disco, SAP’s Ryan van Leent explains why the future of government AI depends as much on knowing when not to apply artificial intelligence as on building new capabilities. He unpacks the risks of agentic AI, the limits of automation, and the practical steps needed to shift public-sector AI from endless pilots into trusted, production-grade systems.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco, Defence chief information officer Chris Crozier discusses the tech challenges and opportunities for the organisation - and outlines the best way for potential SME suppliers to engage with the department.
InnovationAus senior staffers Justin Hendry and James Riley cover a week's worth of tech industry news stories, including a deep dive into industry reaction to Australia's National AI Plan, as well as the sweeping board-level changes at the Tech Council of Australia.
In this episode of Commercial Disco, Australia’s chief scientist Professor Tony Haymet argues that the nation must become an “AI maker, not an AI taker,” linking the growth of hyperscale compute to sovereign capability, scientific infrastructure and community engagement. He also explores how misinformation, Indigenous knowledge systems and national research priorities will shape Australia’s scientific and technological future.
In this episode of Commercial Disco, AusBiotech chief executive Rebekah Cassidy challenges the long-held belief that Australia struggles with biotech commercialisation, pointing to a wave of untold success stories already competing globally. She also outlines the need for nationally coordinated life sciences policy, greater industry–government collaboration, and the growing opportunities at the intersection of biotech, data and AI.
In this episode of News Wrap, editorial director James Riley and editor Justin Hendry unpack the CSIRO job cuts, an upcoming digital duty of care for platform giants, Defence’s Copilot rollout and foreign suppliers pushing back on data localisation rules.
In this episode of News Wrap, editorial director James Riley and reporter Joseph Brookes look into the government's statement on STEM diversity, a public service AI plan, Australian companies making it through a global quantum program, and why CSIRO is grounding missions style research.
In this episode of Commercial Disco, DIGI managing director Sunita Bose speaks with James Riley about the balance between regulating big tech and recognising the industry’s own work to build safer digital spaces. She discusses the evolution of Australia’s misinformation code, shifting global approaches to online harms, and how emerging AI challenges are reshaping the guardrails for responsible innovation.
In this episode of News Wrap, editorial director James Riley and editor Justin Hendry unpack new data showing Australia will miss its 1.2 million tech jobs target and is going backwards on digital competitiveness, why OpenAI could end up banned for young Australians, Ghost Sharks, the PM's Prize for Science and more.
In this episode, The Commercial Disco sits down with Minh Hoang, youth innovation leader and member of the eSafety Commissioner’s Advisory Council, to discuss how AI is reshaping culture, politics and identity. Hoang warns that “when you import technology, you import its politics,” calling for an Australian AI strategy that protects national values. From Gen Z’s “clanker” slang for robots to the global race for AI dominance, he explores how young people are balancing optimism, creativity and caution in the face of rapid technological change.
In this episode of News Wrap, editorial director James Riley and editor Justin Hendry dig into the proposed Technology Prosperity Deal with the US, planned copyright reforms to force AI giants to pay creators and all the latest on the national AI plan.
In this episode of News Wrap, InnovationAus editor Justin Hendry and editorial director James Riley explore the government's changes to procurement rules and whether they will level the playing field for local tech suppliers, the exit of the Tech Council CEO and much more.
The new US-Australia critical minerals agreement promises to unlock US $8.5 billion in investment for priority projects over the next six months. In this episode of Commercial Disco, Justin Hendry and Paul Myler -- former deputy chief of mission at Australia’s Washington embassy and founder of StratQ -- unpack what's in the deal and why it matters.
In this episode of NewsWrap, InnovationAus editor Justin Hendry explores the debate around what is a sovereign supplier and the behind the scenes work to change the definition for Defence and tech firms.
In this wrap-up tech and innovation policy news, InnovationAus.com editor Justin Hendry and senior reporter Joseph Brookes dive into the drama from Senate Estimates, unpack Treasury's bizarre AI report and break down why the government's long-awaited 'tell us once' laws actually matter.
In this weekly wrap-up of Australia's tech and innovation policy news, InnovationAus.com senior reporter Joseph Brookes covers the latest discussion from the Strategic Examination of R&D review and the underspend of the Medical Research Future Fund, among other top stories.
In this episode of Commercial Disco, SeeMePlease founder Katie McDermott talks about building a user testing platform that puts accessibility first, the lessons she brought from her time as NSW’s chief digital officer, and the challenges startups face navigating government procurement.
With Anthony Albanese now penciled in for a meeting with Donald Trump at the White House on October 20, expect to hear about sizeable investments in data centres and renewables. InnovationAus editor Justin Hendry talks through the week's innovation news with James Riley.
In this episode of Commercial Disco, China tech policy expert Phillippa Jones unpacks how Beijing’s long-term innovation strategy has been reshaped by the “Deep Seek moment” and what it signals for the global technology race. She traces the evolution from Made in China 2025 to new capital market models for funding science and technology, explains how the next five-year plan will set the direction for AI, robotics and quantum, and offers a perspective on where Australia should focus its comparative strengths in critical minerals, processing and energy.
InnovationAus editorial director James Riley speaks with Dawn Massa-Stancavish, CEO of US-based Massa Products Corporation, about the company’s legacy in sonar and its role in supplying the Virginia-class submarines. Dawn shares her perspective on AUKUS, stressing the need for Pillar II to move in parallel with submarine programs and calling for greater involvement of SMEs in defence innovation. She also highlights collaborations with Australian suppliers and universities, and why agile supply chains are key to sovereignty.
In this episode of NewsWrap, senior reporter Joseph Brookes heads to the Tech Council of Australia's summit in Sydney, covering contributions from Industry minister Tim Ayres, NSW Premier Chris Minns and federal assistant minister Andrew Charlton, among others.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco, Dr Andrew Charlton discusses Australia's opportunity to fully participate in the emerging global AI market, both as host to tens of billions of dollars worth of AI data centres, and for Australian companies building AI models and applications for global markets.
In this episode of The Commercial Disco, GBG’s head of data innovation Michael Harmer explains why the case for a national ID in Australia is “dead in the water,” arguing that the country’s existing identity infrastructure, anchored by government-verified documents and services like the DVS, already delivers world-class assurance. Harmer discusses how AI is both a threat and an opportunity for digital identity, the importance of behavioural context in fraud detection, and why mobile credentials will shape the future of secure and privacy-preserving identity verification.
After three years of war in Europe, Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko says his country has become a real-time battlefield laboratory, producing vast troves of invaluable data. Successfully defending against the Russian invasion has produced an amazing ecosystem of innovators from all over the world. The Ambassador says there are lessons and opportunities for Australia.
Can Australia play an outsized role in the global regulation of Big Tech? Do we have the middle-power muscle to bring together a coalition of countries that would have the combined heft to push back on tech overreach?
Tech Policy Design Institute co-founder and CEO Johanna Weaver digs deep into the global political and technological forces shaping the world right now.
In this episode of NewsWrap, InnovationAus editor Justin Hendry explores the $US$1 billion PsiQuantum Series E capital raise and looks at how the Australian and Queensland governments' US$250 million fits in.
In this episode of NewsWrap, InnovationAus senior reporter Joseph Brookes and James Riley dive into the latest issues papers published by the Robyn Denholm-led Strategic Examination of R&D.
The Strategic Review of R&D (SERD) has published its first issues paper as part of its consultation process - this one looking at national coordination and governance of R&D spending. And the Tech Council gets itself out of step with other groups with a call to boost R&D spending target to just 2 per cent.
In this episode of The Commercial Disco, chief executives of the Future Skills Organisation, Patrick Kidd, and the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers, Amanda Linton, warn of a 250,000-worker shortfall across finance, tech, and business by 2030. Kidd highlights the 70 per cent gap of current skills will change in just three years, while Linton stresses that AI is enhancing, not replacing, professions like bookkeeping, with employers now prioritising communication and critical thinking alongside technical skills.
The Productivity Commission sets out in detail the massive upside for Australia in introducing AI tools across the economy.
But it also warns that the government financial support for building Australian large language models (LLMs) or the AI factories that train them is a terrible idea.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, Productivity Commissioner Stephen King says simply that government is “a terrible entrepreneur”.
In this week's News Wrap, editorial director James Riley and editor Justin Hendry discuss what came out of the Economic Reform Roundtable, why the Productivity Commission is against industry support for sovereign AI and the latest R&D investment projections.
When former Cabinet minister Ed Husic announced in March that government had accepted all the recommendations of its STEM Diversity review, it came as a surprise to many – including his government colleagues. The announcement was made before the policy had been agreed. Join Justin Hendry and James Riley for the week's biggest stories.
Catherine Livingstone has one of the best business brains in the country, and ahead of the economic roundtable in Canberra next week she has called for a bold, system-level approach to the economic policy discussion. She joins James Riley on the Commercial Disco.
Professor Tanya Monro is six and half years into her role as Chief Defence Scientist and says the urgency of the work within the Defence Science and Technology Group is the biggest change over that time.
In this interview, Professor Monro talks about the evolving structure of Defence’s technology and innovation infrastructure and gives a practical tutorial on the best ways that entrepreneurs and SMEs with specific technology can engage.
Copyright has become a central issue in the national debate about driving productivity improvements, and on extracting the maximum value from AI The Productivity Commission had its say this week in the first interim report of its Five Pillars review. Justin Hendry and James Riley discuss the week.
In this episode of The Commercial Disco, CyberArk’s Head of Public Sector Derek Moir joins InnovationAus.com publisher Corrie McLeod to unpack why identity -- both human and machine -- has become the new frontline in cybersecurity. As government agencies rapidly shift to cloud and SaaS platforms, Mr Moir warns that many are still lagging in how they manage identity, leaving systems exposed to escalating threats, including AI-driven attacks and post-quantum vulnerabilities. He calls for urgent cultural change, stronger governance, and embedding identity security at the core of frameworks like the ACSC’s Essential Eight.
Just 24 hours after launching its historic Eris TestFlight 1 mission, Gilmour Space Technologies' CEO Adam Gilmour takes a deep dive into the technical circumstances of its first flight, and what the road toward a TestFlight 2 mission looks like.
Atlassian co-founder Scott Farquhar's speech to the National Press Club attracted plenty of interest this week - and raised many eyebrows - as it explored opportunities for Australia in AI intelligence. And there was the maiden flight of Gilmour Space Technologies' orbital vehicle. Here's the latest from James Riley and Justin Hendry.
In this episode of The Commercial Disco, James Riley speaks with Dr Daniel Rossetto, a prominent voice in global environmental finance and adjunct professor at the University of Adelaide on Australia’s political mandate post-election and what it signals for national climate policy and net-zero ambitions.
Dr Rossetto underscores the urgency for Australia to define post-2030 renewable energy targets and intermediate climate goals for 2035, as well as long-term policy certainty to catalyse private investment in clean energy.
Exploring the technical and financial challenges of maintaining grid stability with increasing renewable penetration, Dr Rossetto notes striking similarities between the Australian and European energy landscapes and draws specific examples from Italy's use of gas in the energy mix.
The discussion also covers the controversial realm of nuclear energy, with a view that market mechanisms, not government ownership, should guide Australia’s energy mix.
In this episode of The Commercial Disco., editorial director James Riley talks to Luke Coleman, chief executive of the newly named Australian Telecommunications Alliance (formerly the Communications Alliance) about the expectations of the industry for the 48th Parliament of Australia.
In this episode of The Commercial Disco, InnovationAus.com's editorial director James Riley and editor Justin Hendry unpack the United States’ newly released National AI Action Plan. Plus, we cover the latest in Australia’s tech scene --from new NRF biotech investments and NDIS digital reforms to the ongoing debate over AI regulation.
The first sitting week of the new Parliament starts next Tuesday, and in this episode of News Wrap, InnovationAus.com editor Justin Hendry and senior reporter Joseph Brookes preview the policy priorities for the new term.
This week the InnovationAus editorial team discuss the machinery of government changes that shifted delivery agency Services Australia to the Department of Finance, and prospects of Australia joining Horizon Europe - the world's largest research fund - as an associate member. Plus everything else that happened this week.
Australia has some big decisions to make as policymakers look for ways to extract the maximum productivity value from artificial intelligence across the economy, while also building a sovereign industry. Vault Cloud CEO Rupert Taylor-Price has been a long-term advocate for local industry, and is one of the clearest thinkers on technology issues.
This week was all about artificial intelligence and the national productivity debate. InnovationAus.com editor Justin Hendry joins James Riley to talk through the stories behind the headlines.
On this episode of the Commercial Disco, InnovationAus.com publisher Corrie McLeod talks to DigiCert chief executive Dr Amit Sinha about post-quantum threats, exploding machine identities and shrinking certificate lifespans, that are converging into a “perfect storm” for digital security leaders.
Tendertrace co-founder and chief revenue officer Luli Adeyemo has just returned from a successful trip to London Tech Week. In this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, she talks about the company's plan to expand into the UK market later this year, and explores why London Tech Week is such a powerful event on the international technology event calendar.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco, Galileo Ventures co-founder and partner James Alexander puts forward a $5 billion, five-pillar strategy for developing sovereign AI capability and a strong local AI industry.
The NSW and Queensland governments both delivered budgets this week, and both states unveiled substantial programs within the tech and innovation communities. InnovationAus.com editor Justin Hendry covered both.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco, editorial director James Riley talks to PEXA chief technology officer Eglantine Etiemble about the evolution of the company from a Council of Australian Governments (COAG) initiative into a listed company processing more than 90 per cent of property transactions in Australia.
In this episode of The Commercial Disco, James Riley talks to Koki Mashita about the intersection of climate action, sovereign capability and the innovation economy.
On this episode of the Commercial Disco, editorial director James Riley talks with Cicada Innovations chief executive Sally Ann Williams about the need to address a fragmented policy landscape and switch on procurement as the most powerful tool of industrial transformation.
Australian Computer Society chief executive officer Josh Griggs discuss the importance of building sovereign AI infrastructure and capability, and says it will take a $2 billion to $4 billion investment to achieve this.
In the episode of the Commercial Disco, ACTU assistant secretary talks about managing the impact of AI in the workplace. Early engagement with workers is key to extracting maximum value from the new technology.
In this episode - James Riley talks to InnovationAus editor Justin Hendry about the news of the week, from Allegra Spender proposing a revenue-based Digital Services Tax, to AWS plans for $20 billion in spending and the Treasurer's big, beautiful focus on productivity.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco, CSIRO chief executive Doug Hilton tells James Riley that Australia has reached "a fork in the road" and that the government's Strategic Examination of R&D (SERD) has arrived at an opportune moment.
In this episode of the InnovationAus.com News Wrap podcast, host James Riley discusses the big news stories this week with editor Justin Hendry, including the latest from Industry minister Tim Ayres on AI.
In this episode of The Commercial Disco, James Riley talks with Industry and Innovation Minister Tim Ayres about artificial intelligence opportunities, and his priorities for the next three years.
In this episode of the InnovationAus.com News Wrap podcast, host James Riley discusses the big news stories this week with editor Justin Hendry, including Industry and Innovation minister Tim Ayres' opening address at the AFR AI Summit.
New South Wales Senator Dave Sharma and the Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities, and Treasury, joins James Riley on the 'Commercial Disco' podcast to discuss his new role and the challenges ahead for Australia’s innovation and productivity.
Infosys global CTO Rafee Tarafdar discusses the need for AI education and employee literacy with InnovationAus.com’s publisher Corrie McLeod on this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast.
In this episode of the InnovationAus.com News Wrap podcast, host James Riley discusses the big news stories this week with senior reporter Joseph Brookes, including the shadow ministry lineup.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, host James Riley discusses the big news stories this week with editor Justin Hendry, including new industry and innovation minister Tim Ayres’ first speech.
In this Commercial Disco podcast hosted by Corrie McLeod, publisher of InnovationAus.com, Verizon’s vice president for Asia Pacific, Rob Le Busque and ABC’s Hamish McDonald unpack the escalating risks tied to these technological pillars, emphasising their vulnerabilities and the urgent need for resilience in an era of relentless change.
Government procurement is not always straight-forward or inclusive of the home-grown tech sector. In this episode of The Commercial Disco, James Riley talks to David Elliot in his new role as chair of the Australian Information Industry Association’s Domestic Capabilities policy advisory network (PAN) about procurement, FMiA, the definition of an Australian company, and what's on the new minister's to-do lists for the early months of their tenure. Mr Elliot is also chief executive of Canberra-based tech delivery company Agile Digital.
Improving federal government technology procurement outcomes. In this episode of The Commercial Disco, James Riley talks to David Elliot, chief executive at Canberra-based software engineering firm Agile Digital and a local industry leader in policy discussions about fostering domestic capability in the technology sector.
It’s been a rollercoaster ride for the Gilmour Space Technologies crew after two scrubbed launch attempts in the past week. In this episode, co-founder Adam Gilmour talks through the technical issues, and provides an update on how the company will fix the issues.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese unveiled his new ministry on Monday. In this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, James Riley and Justin Hendry discuss the key appointees who will help drive key tech policy levers for Labor's second term - including AI, cybersecurity, digital and telecommunications – and the implications for the tech sector.
In this episode of Verizon's Securing AI podcast, Robert Le Busque, regional vice president for Asia Pacific at Verizon, and Dr Huon Curtis from the Tech Policy Design Centre discuss the growing importance of Large Language Model firewalls for Australian businesses. They highlight the risks generative AI poses to sensitive enterprise data and how LLM firewalls can safeguard it by controlling data flow and ensuring compliance. These safeguards are particularly crucial in sectors like telecommunications and anti-money laundering. They also explore how Centres of Excellence provide teams with tools to securely innovate with AI technologies.
If we spend an extra million dollars on cybersecurity, are we a million dollars safer? This is a question Louise McGrath, Head of Industry Development and Policy at Australian Industry (Ai) Group, often hears from her members as they battle to keep costs down while securing their future with innovation. She discussed these issues with Chris Novak, Head of Cybersecurity Consulting at Verizon, in the latest episode of Verizon’s Securing AI podcast series. Moderated by InnovationAus.com publisher Corrie McLeod, this conversation explores the challenge of quantifying cybersecurity risks in dollars and cents, and the transformative impact of generative AI on managing these investments.
Strategic implementation and responsible usage are at the core of the impact of generative AI on businesses. In the first episode of a two-part podcast series, Advancing Business in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, Sunil Senan, Global Head of Data, Analytics, and AI at Infosys discusses the shift from digital-first to AI-first strategies. Following the success of large language models like ChatGPT, businesses of all shapes and sizes are experimenting with the potential application of similar technologies. As genAI truly hits the mainstream, Mr Senan explores early AI use cases in industries like healthcare and finance, highlighting how to adopt a responsible-by-design approach to mitigate the associated risks.
As the AI arms race heats up across APAC, the technology is cementing itself as a disinformation tool and a shield against cyber threats. In this episode of Verizon’s Securing AI podcast series, Corrie McLeod talks to Mike Bareja, former deputy director of Cyber, Technology and Security at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), and John Hines, head of cybersecurity APAC at Verizon Business, about the democratisation of AI. This hard-hitting conversation explores the dangerous potential of AI disinformation to subtly undermine societal trust, as it floods digital channels with fake content generation and new reports of identity hijacking.
This podcast is the latest episode in The Loop series, produced by InnovationAus.com in partnership with Granicus. In Bundaberg Qld, data meets nature's challenge in the quest for Net Zero and planting a million trees by the end of 2024. With her finger on the data pulse, Carmen Bracken joins publisher Corrie McLeod to discuss the struggle as she strives for civic action, precisely mapping every tree's journey. As trees bloom, data and people shape new narratives around building world-class digital engagement platforms while boosting tree survival rates.
This podcast is the latest episode in The Loop series, produced by InnovationAus.com in partnership with Granicus. In a vast country like Australia, ensuring citizens who live in sparsely populated regions are heard is a real challenge for government and decision makers. Wicked infrastructure problems add up to $30 billion in bottlenecks, but there's a path forward. Marion Short from IAP2 and Mel Hagedorn from Granicus tackle these challenges head-on, exploring how empathy, dialogue, and a quest for "truth" are reshaping public participation. They join publisher Corrie McLeod to discuss how public servants can transform their approach to engage communities affected by infrastructural decisions in a world gone digital. Listen to discover how these strategies are unlocking new avenues for collaboration and consensus.
Governments around the world have embraced more interventionist industrial policies, including in Australia. In this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, the CEO of the state-owned fund Breakthrough Victoria Grant Dooley talks about the role of government in helping to build capability – and wealth – for the state.
This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.
This special podcast focuses on Building trust in the network digital twin, produced by InnovationAus.com in partnership with Verizon. Digital twins bring enormous value to network infrastructure, with the ability to test and optimise equipment configurations. They simplify managing energy efficiency, enabling smarter, faster decisions when building complex infrastructure like airports, hospitals or Olympic stadiums. Australian startups Exergenics and Willow are making inroads into the US after honing their expertise and innovations in a domestic environment keenly focused on energy efficiency. Willow’s Head of New Build, Daniel Kalnins, joins publisher Corrie McLeod and co-founder & COO of Exergenics, Tim Stewart to discuss digital twin technology in energy efficiency, and the stark differences in speed and scale between the US and Australian markets.
Imagine a world where waste doesn't exist — where every product is designed with its subsequent life in mind. Piers Grove, Co-founder of Boomerang Lab, EnergyLabs and Former Publisher of Betoota Advocate is a visionary challenging Australia's recycling norms. From revolutionising packaging practices to redefining recycling, his initiatives are not just about treating symptoms but curing the disease of waste. In this episode of the Commercial Disco(very), Piers unpacks how startup disruptors across Australia are reshaping our approaches to sustainability, proving that in the circular economy, end-of-life for products is only just the beginning.
This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.
Australia emerges as a key player in global technology standards under the strategic guidance of Professor Johanna Weaver. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, the Professor shares her insights into Australia's potential to help shape tech policy, and how Australia can be at the forefront of technological governance and global influence by fostering international collaborations and innovative frameworks.
This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.
Drawing on 18 years with the Australian Federal Government and her pivotal role in the MH17 investigation, Dr Miah Hammond-Errey has become a leading voice in understanding the intersection of technology, intelligence, and security. In this episode of the Commercial Disco(very) she unveils the evolving power dynamics between state intelligence and global tech giants, influenced by her extensive research and interviews with nearly 50 intelligence leaders and offers a profound look into a digital future shaped by big data and emerging technologies.
This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.
Discover the groundbreaking work of Professor Peter Middendorf as he reveals the inner workings of ARENA2036, a revolutionary industry-on-campus initiative reshaping the landscape of collaboration between academia and industry. Learn the intricate mechanisms driving innovation at this cutting-edge hub and contemplate its potential impact on the future of Australian industry.
This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.
Professor Nicholas Opie is a pioneer in the field of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology. He is a founding director at Synchron, and head of the Vascular Bionics Laboratory at the University of Melbourne. In this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, Professor Opie talks about the challenges of building a global deep tech startup from Australia.
This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.
This vodcast is the latest in the Securing critical infrastructure: the regulatory vs the practical series, produced by InnovationAus.com in partnership with SentinelOne. As companies deploy generative AI as a frontline defence, is governance being overlooked in their bid to avoid interruption of activities inside critical infrastructure due to cyber threats? David Fariman, Chief Information Officer & Chief Security Officer, Netskope, joins publisher Corrie McLeod and SentinelOne’s Wayne Phillips to discuss how regulatory frameworks must keep pace with the rapid innovation in AI, so businesses can defend themselves against adversaries equipped with similar technologies.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, Climatech Zero CEO, Peter O'Connell talks about how innovation in energy efficiency can dramatically reduce costs while improving competitiveness in the mining and resources sector, data centres, and commercial buildings.
This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.
This podcast is the latest episode in The Loop series, produced by InnovationAus.com in partnership with Granicus. The success of US veteran health portal My HealtheVet poses a stark question for public servants: Are we meeting the specific needs of those we serve, or merely checking boxes? Granicus' Chief Customer Officer, Gabriele Masili, led the team that grew My HealtheVet from 30,000 to 1 million users. He joins publisher Corrie McLeod to discuss the development of a platform that has helped a government exceed its constituents' expectations, and set a new global standard for other public sectors to chase - including Australia.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco, former Olympian Dean Capobianco discusses his current role as CEO of Geoscape Australia, the government-owned foundational layer of curated geolocation data in this country. This is a great conversation. This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.
Energy price uncertainty and shortages of skilled workers top the list of concerns of Australian industry, according to deputy Liberal leader and shadow Industry minister Sussan Ley. In this edition of the Commercial Disco, she discusses the impact of funding delays to the NRF and Industry Growth Program.
This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.
This podcast is the first episode in The Loop series, produced by InnovationAus.com in partnership with Granicus. In a vast country like Australia, ensuring citizens who live in sparsely populated regions are heard is a real challenge for government and decision makers. Former digital officer for Broken Hill City Council, Luke Dart, was instrumental in the local council’s digital transformation and online accessibility. He joins publisher Corrie McLeod to discuss a fascinating case study in public sector innovation and revenue success within an independent, hardy community of natural problem-solvers.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco(very), Rob Sutton, Managing Director of Mirragin Consulting addresses Australia's defense strategy amidst the changing landscape of drone manufacturing, inspired by Ukraine's innovation in drone production. We discuss everything from the importance of prioritising a resilient drone manufacturing base and embracing agile, cost-effective solutions, to the critical need for an updated defense strategy and the impacts on startups and SMEs in the defense industry ecosystem. This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.
This vodcast is the final episode in the Identity Matters: Digital Identity and the Evolution of the Internet series, produced by InnovationAus.com in partnership with Ping Identity. Managing Director of Connect ID, Andrew Black, has more than a decade of experience in the Digital Identity industry. Previously he led digital ventures on data and cyber security in two major UK banks, and most recently served as a member of Minister Victor Dominello's Advisory Committee, helping support the design of Digital Identity services and legislation for NSW citizens. With the federal government committed to overhauling Australia's privacy laws, Andrew joins editorial director James Riley and Ping Identity’s Head of APAC Architecture, Steve Dillon, to discuss progress towards a federated digital ID and how it can make consumer data more easily collected and collated.
In this special InnovationAus.com podcast, James Riley speaks to the founder of Innofocus, Frank Yao, about the company’s new nanofabrication hub in Melbourne and his plan to help make Australia the world leader in nanomanufacturing.
In this episode, we explore the strategic initiatives led by Adjunct Professor Peter Rossdeutscher and Quantum TX to empower SMEs to scale up their operations and thrive in the space industry. Professor Rossdeutscher delves into Quantum TX's innovative approaches, collaborations, and the challenges SMEs face in government and defence contracts, ultimately highlighting the transformative impact on the SME landscape. This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.
This vodcast is the latest in the Identity Inside/Out: Getting identity security right series,produced by InnovationAus.com in partnership with SailPoint. Air New Zealand handles sensitive customer data, including millions of frequent flyer accounts, and its CISO Phil Ross is acutely aware of the need to earn customers' trust back. He joins SailPoint's Simon Ell and InnovationAus.com Publisher, Corrie McLeod, to discuss evolving cybersecurity regulations and their impact on airport security practices.
In this episode, Balakrishna D.R. (Bali), Executive Vice President and Global Head of AI and Automation, Application Development & Maintenance, Infosys, delves into the imperative need for a Responsible AI Office within every company. Balakrishna stresses the crucial role responsible AI plays in navigating data privacy, IP integrity, and bias mitigation while pioneering AI-first strategies. He also unveils Infosys' innovative approach, deploying AI assistants across diverse roles, aiming not to replace humans but to augment their capabilities. This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.
In this episode, we delve into the groundbreaking innovations of Cortical Labs, a Melbourne-based tech startup at the forefront of merging biological computing with traditional technology. Founder & CEO, Hon Weng Chong reveals their pioneering work in creating the world's first neural data center, catching the attention of industry giants like Amazon due to its potential to transform cloud computing's operational costs and environmental impact. This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.
In this episode, Dr David Ireland, a seasoned figure in research translation, shares his unique journey merging science and business as he navigates the intersection of innovation, science, and commercial success. Ireland delves deep into Australia's research translation challenges and nuances within the national innovation system, while unravelling the essential elements driving successful research translation and the crucial cultural shifts needed for lasting innovation impact. This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.
The founder and CEO of Australian full-stack quantum startup Dr Andrew Dzurak says the company is on track to build a quantum computer capable solving commercially relevant problems in five years. The Commercial Disco explores the tech - and the commercialisation possibilities.
This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.
Ms. Nyambura Kamau, Founder of Viwanda Africa, shares her insights on Kenya's space sector growth and its implications for Africa's technological sovereignty on Commercial Disco. She discusses fostering innovation and the continent's strategic advantage for space launches, offering lessons for global space industry players. This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.
This vodcast is the first episode in the Securing critical infrastructure: The regulatory vs the practical series, produced by InnovationAus.com in partnership with SentinelOne. When we consider national resilience, it’s every organisation’s responsibility to ensure we have robust security measures in place – and the critical infrastructure legislation was designed as an acknowledgement that some organisations are critical to the ability of Australia to function. At the ANU College of Law, Dr Huon Curtis leads the Tech Policy Design Centre's research on risk and resilience in the telecommunications sector. With strong training in international political economy, he joins publisher Corrie McLeod and SentinelOne’s Regional Director for Australia and New Zealand, Jason Duerden, to discuss what the Australian ecosystem needs to drive innovation in resilience.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, Eyes of AI founder and CEO Khoa Le talks to James Riley about the impact of Australia's research, the commercialisation challenges for local deep tech startups, and the new wave of globally successful homegrown companies defying the odds. This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.
This vodcast is the latest in the Identity Matters: Digital Identity and the Evolution of the Internet series, produced by InnovationAus.com in partnership with Ping Identity. Jason Urranndulla-Davis founded Holdaccess (WUNA) to help focus on digital ID diversity and accessibility in relation to First Nations and under-documented communities. Digital ID legislation is expected in Australian parliament before the end of this year, but is ‘human inclusion’ being properly considered in this process? In this episode, Jason discusses with publisher Corrie McLeod and Ashley Diffey, VP Sales, APAC & Japan, Ping Identity, the importance of digital identity that supports our vulnerable citizens, in line with Ping Identity’s mission to champion every identity.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, Dr Doug Hilton talks to James Riley about his priorities for the CSIRO, the importance earning and retaining social licence, and the role of science in building trust.
This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.
Roboticist and psycho-physics psychologist Dr Amanda White wears many professional hats. She is the general manager of Freelance Robotics, coordinating the RoboTradies program, and is the director of two automation companies: Industrial Robotics and Agricultural Robotics.
In this episode of The Commercial Disco, Dr White chats with James Riley about the drivers that inform her journey from a psychological and technological standpoint to foster industry resilience, with particular reference to advanced manufacturing for the agricultural sector in the robotic world.
This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco, Anatomics founder and neurosurgeon Paul D’Urso chats with James Riley about launching his medical devices tech company with a $1200 grant in the early 90s, how the innovative solution is changing lives around the world, and the barriers that have prevented it from achieving widespread commercial success. This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.
This vodcast is the latest in the Identity Matters: Digital Identity and the Evolution of the Internet series, produced by InnovationAus.com in partnership with Ping Identity. Former Minister for Customer Service, Victor Dominello, has always been a strong advocate for the adoption of digital identity in the public sector, for the operational efficiencies and deeper digital transformation it would enable. In this episode, he discusses with editorial director James Riley and Ashley Diffey, VP Sales, APAC & Japan, Ping Identity, the ‘low-hanging fruit’ of digital identity and the near-term benefits to be derived from a system that enables cross jurisdictional validation of identities across the public sector.
Meet Rachel Slattery, the brain behind Tech 23 and Agile Australia, who's now shaking things up with Silver Futures. In our latest Commercial Disco podcast sponsored by CSIRO, she chats with James Riley about why tech should be for everyone, not just the young and tech-savvy. Do you have grey hairs or just a love for tech? Tune in to discover how we can all benefit from the tech that makes our golden years shine. This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.
In this special podcast interview, editorial director James Riley speaks with Infosys VP and Global Practice Head for Microsoft Business Applications & Digital Workplace Services, Lax Gopisetty, about the changing landscape of customer experience in the retail sector in Australia. What areas do Australian retailers need to focus on when utilising AI to enhance the customer experience? Hear expert insights about the role of AI in customer experience, and how human touch can be a competitive edge in the retail sector.
Philip Dalidakis is well-known to the tech and innovation communities, particularly among Australia’s startups. In this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, the former Victorian state government Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade – and current managing partner at Orizontas – talks to James Riley about what’s working well in our tech ecosystem, with a focus on the NRF.
This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco, Catherine Thompson dives deep into the challenges of digital service delivery in government, she discusses procurement policies to drive better outcomes, and unpicks the recommendations of both the MyGov Review and the Robodebt Royal Commission.
This vodcast is the latest in the Identity Matters: Digital Identity and the Evolution of the Internet series, produced by InnovationAus.com in partnership with Ping Identity. Digital transformation success will come to enterprises that understand who their users are and what they can access. The step before this, however, is acknowledging that cloud-based Identity is the foundation layer for digital transformation – understanding that Identity goes well beyond login pages and passwords. In this episode, editorial director James Riley speaks with Ashley Diffey, VP Sales, APAC & Japan, Ping Identity and Eddie Smith, General Manager for Identity & Security at Versent, about companies of all sizes who have experienced benefits from privacy, to cyber, to operational efficiency, demonstrating digital ID as a key component to digital transformation.
In this special episode of The Commercial Disco, we hear from Anousheh Ansari, CEO of XPRIZE Foundation, Adam Gilmour, CEO of Gilmour Space Technologies and Rania Poullos, Project Manager – Fire Shield for Minderoo Foundation, as they call Aussie innovators to solve a global problem. The UN predicts extreme bushfires are expected to increase up to 14% by 2030 globally, 30% by the end of 2050 and 50% by 2100. XPRIZE Wildfire will spur innovation across a wide range of firefighting technologies, transforming the practices of a crucial industry that have not seen major change in the way that we detect fires for thirty years.
This episode of The Commercial Disco is moderated by InnovationAus.com publisher, Corrie McLeod, and is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia's national science agency and innovation catalyst.
In this special episode of The Commercial Disco, we hear from Anousheh Ansari, CEO of XPRIZE Foundation, Adam Gilmour, CEO of Gilmour Space Technologies and Rania Poullos, Project Manager – Fire Shield for Minderoo Foundation, as they call Aussie innovators to solve a global problem. The UN predicts extreme bushfires are expected to increase up to 14% by 2030 globally, 30% by the end of 2050 and 50% by 2100. XPRIZE Wildfire will spur innovation across a wide range of firefighting technologies, transforming the practices of a crucial industry that have not seen major change in the way that we detect fires for thirty years.
This episode of The Commercial Disco is moderated by InnovationAus.com publisher, Corrie McLeod, and is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia's national science agency and innovation catalyst.
Since 2021, Christine Tonkin has been the Member for Churchlands in the Western Australian Parliament in Roger Cook’s Labor government. Ms Tonkin brought a lifetime of experience in public and private sector procurement reform to the Parliament, having worked all over the world in large organisations. In this episode of The Commercial Disco she talks about opportunities for making government procurement more cost effective, and better for local industry.
Government procurement data is not always straight-forward to access, or to glean insights into purchasing decisions. In this episode of The Commercial Disco, James Riley talks to the founder and CEO of Tendertrace, an AI-based public sector market intelligence engine.
This video podcast is the latest in the Identity Matters: Digital Identity and the Evolution of the Internet series, produced by InnovationAus.com in partnership with Ping Identity. In this episode, editorial director James Riley speaks with Steve Dillon, Head of APAC Architecture, Ping Identity and Julie Gleeson, Director – Cyber & Identity, Deloitte Australia, about the need for organisations to replace implicit trust with digital ID to achieve zero trust architecture (ZTA). We know the traditional approach to security can’t meet the evolving threats or secure resources for remote employees. But organisations also need to eliminate friction through identity access management (IAM) to be competitive in the digital space. How does government in particular strike this balance? And how do they manage their citizens’ level of trust – and expectations – through digital ID?
Connected infrastructure – using sensors and intelligent systems – will allow real-time, valuable insights and adjustments to procedures that will benefit both governments and its citizens. Operational costs will be driven down with the efficient use of IoT technology, and the leveraging of data generated will provide benefits for immediate uses as well as future society. In this episode, we look at how organisations can mitigate risk – especially cybersecurity risk – comply with data governance and the critical infrastructure act and prepare for updated privacy regulations.
After eight and a half years, CSIRO chief executive Larry Marshall will exit the the national science agency at the end of June. Dr Marshall will leave the organisation in much better shape than when he started. It is in a better financial position, employs more staff, and is more culturally equipped to take on big challenges, and turn ideas into commercial and social impact. He talks to InnovationAus editorial director James Riley about his wild ride.
In this Episode of The Commercial Disco, IP Australia director general Michael Schwager discusses the intellectual property rights protection in an era of fast-moving technological change – and identifies where Australian organisations (particularly SMEs) can extract greater value. This is a must listen!
This episode focuses on how cyber across higher education has impacted the student experience, as a result of the pandemic and the sector’s inclusion in the critical infrastructure legislation. In conversation with technology leader and seasoned higher education CISO Kim Valois, we examine the impact of these shifts on the security of online and remote learning and the threat environment, as well as the importance of identity management automation. With the move to online education, and as the student environment serves as a foundation to develop identity, how are credentials best managed in the best interests of students and institutions?
In this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, CI-SAC CEO David Sandell tells InnovationAus Editorial Director James Riley the purpose of the non-profit critical infrastructure information sharing centre, the growing threat to critical infrastructure operators and why cyber needs to be a team sport.
Robert Klupacs has founded 24 companies in Australia and Singapore, and is now the CEO of the Bionics Institute. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, he discusses with InnovationAus Editorial Director James Riley the importance of collaboration and precincts in driving commercialisation, and how the medtech and biotech sectors are leading the way in this space in Australia.
Julia Spicer is the first state Chief Entrepreneur to be based outside of a capital city, and is aiming to make regional innovation a focus during her time in the role. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, she talks to James Riley about regional entrepreneurship, Queensland’s potential to be a climate tech giant and the importance of not being afraid to fail.
James Carouso spent a long career as a diplomat with the US State Department. He is well known across the region and in Australia. In this episode of the Commercial Disco he talks to James Riley about the International Trade and Arms Regulations (ITAR) regime in the US that has stymied deeper cooperation with Australia on defence and dual-use technologies. He wants a carve-out exemption for Australia.
This episode focuses on all things ID management and healthcare. Almost $2 billion was spent over a 10-year period to create the MyHealthRecord program alone, and yet as of 2020 half of all 23 million health records remained empty. The push to use the MyHealthRecord as a way to prove vaccination status presumably must be having some stimulating effect on the increased use of the platform. We examine whether two years of health obsession and online access to every part of life has had a material impact on the number of people and doctors making use of online health records and services. We speak with Amanda Cattermole, CEO of the Australian Digital Health Agency about the qualms doctors have around using these types of products and how security is evolving in the medical space.
This video podcast is the first in the Identity Matters: Digital Identity and the Evolution of the Internet series, produced by InnovationAus.com in partnership with Ping Identity. In this episode, editorial director James Riley speaks to CEO and Founder of Ping, Andre Durand, for a global snapshot to set the scene. What was the original problem that Ping Identity was set up to solve 21 years ago? How has the environment changed in the subsequent years, and what has the impact been of the surge in reusable verified identity?
The tables are turned at the Commercial Disco this week. InnovationAus.com editorial director has just returned from Paris, where he was a guest of the Foreign Ministry of France. Submarines were the elephant in the room, there was plenty of discussion about cooperation in tech in the future. He talks to InnovationAus publisher Corrie McLeod.
In this episode of Identity Inside/Out,Australia and New Zealand country manager for SailPoint, Nam Lam, Head of Digital Experience for MYOB, Martin Longley, and InnovationAus.com Publisher, Corrie McLeod, discuss how the challenges attracting and keeping world-class talent in a post-pandemic world are impacting identity security programs. With unemployment levels at a 50-year low in Australia, how are organisations driving digital transformation initiatives to improve employee user experience? What are the benefits of a blended approach to talent acquisition and retention? And what do the remote working models of the future look like?
A grassroots campaign has been launched pushing for a similar Royal Commission into the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) and the use of technology and automation within it. In this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, Centre for Digital Business CEO and former head of the NDIA Technology Authority Marie Johnson discusses why this Royal Commission is needed, what’s going wrong at the agency and how artificial intelligence and automation can be used as a tool for good.
Efforts to build sovereign capability in areas of key strategic importance has become a frontline, mainstream conversation. It is a topic of special interest to Adam Gilmour, the CEO of Gilmour Space Technology, as he builds an orbital launch vehicle on the Gold Coast. In the episode of the Commercial Disco, Adam discusses sovereign capability issues and also gives an update on preparations for the company’s maiden flight.
Paul Levins is a co-founder at EverCase and a principal at Beanstalk AgTech. He was invited to pitch at SXSW 2023 earlier this month and is a long-time contributor to debates on innovation policy. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, Paul talks to James Riley about the experience at SXSW in Texas – and what good policy looks like in Australia.
Sarah Pavillard joined the Navy straight out of school, studied electrical engineering and then trained as a weapons engineer. After a lengthy career as a Navy officer, Sarah founded Adroita – a defence consulting company and dual-use technology commercialisation adviser. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, she talks to James Riley about Defence-related challenges and opportunities.
Nick Gonios is a serial entrepreneur and investor and a long-time business leader. He has founded multiple startups and managed ASX-listed companies as CEO. His focus now is on the circular economy. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, Nick talks to James Riley about the priority imperatives of the circular economy, and opportunities for responsible product design.
Peter Bauer is the co-founder and CEO of global email security firm Mimecast. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, he talks with James Riley about cybersecurity as a ‘team game’, where governments can play an important economy-wide coordination role.
Natalie Chapman is co-founder and managing director at deep tech commercialisation agency Gemaker. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, she talks about global supply chains for critical minerals and rare earths, and opportunities for Australia to become a value-added player in this fast-growing market.
As the National Reconstruction Fund legislation works its way through the Parliament, Senator Tim Ayres, the Assistant Minister for Manufacturing and the Assistant Minister for Trade, talks to the Commercial Disco about the critical path to re-industrialising the nation.
Kai Macann and Daniel Mawston only finished high school last year, but that hasn't stopped them from creating Terra Symposium - an interactive political ethics workshop for secondary education. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, the duo talks to James Riley about the importance of knowledge and resources around ethics and philosophy in a technological age.
Paul Barrett is Chief Executive Officer at Hysata, a company commercialising breakthrough Australian hydrogen electrolyser technology. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, he talks to James Riley about the “disruptive improvements” in performance, and the promise of Green Hydrogen.
Vishal Salvi is the global Chief Information Security Officer at the India headquartered tech services giant Infosys, and also serves as the worldwide head of the company’s Cyber Practice. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, James Riley talks to Mr Salvi about the foundational elements of a safe and trustworthy digital economy.
To respond to the current and future challenges around Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG), every leading business is looking carefully at its specific environment to better understand the complexity of quantifying and managing ‘externalities’ while being able to verify and credential its response. InnovationAus.com and Verizon are pleased to present this discussion panel on the topic, with senior technology business leaders in Sydney and Singapore swapping notes across different continents, industry segments and technology environments.
Dr Mirjana Prica is the managing director of Food Innovation Australia Limited (FIAL), one of six Industry Growth Centres established by the federal government to drive commercial growth in the food and agribusiness sector. In the episode of the Commercial Disco, Dr Prica outlines just how much value Australia is leaving on the table in the food business by not undertaking more value-added food processing and manufacturing.
To respond to the current and future challenges around Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG), every leading business is looking carefully at its specific environment to better understand the complexity of quantifying and managing ‘externalities’ while being able to verify and credential its response.
Sentiment analysis and other ‘soft metrics’ – which are relied on particularly by the emerging industry of advisory partners – are not acceptable to the rigour required of an organisation that has set itself high ESG standards.
InnovationAus.com and Verizon are pleased to present this discussion panel on the topic, with senior technology business leaders in Sydney and Singapore swapping notes across different continents, industry segments and technology environments.
Participants
SYDNEY PANEL
• Dr Priya Dev, Lecturer, Research School of Finance, Actuarial Studies & Statistics, ANU College of Business and Economics
• Andy Lamrock, Managing Partner Global Solutions, Verizon
• Corrie McLeod, Moderator and Publisher, InnovationAus.com
SINGAPORE PANEL
• Rob Le Busque, Regional Vice President APAC, Verizon
• Grace Sai, Co-founder and CEO, Unravel Carbon
• Naomi Vowels, Director & Co-founder, givvable
The average cost to Australia of natural disasters is currently estimated at $38 billion each year. It is time to shift our focus from spending on response and recovery, and to invest more into resilience and recovery. Adrian Turner is the CEO of the Fire and Flood Resilience program at the Minderoo Foundation. In this podcast, Adrian lays the argument for change.
With just days remaining before Australians cast their ballots at the federal election, shadow industry and innovation minister Ed Husic joins the Commercial Disco podcast to talk policy. From the operation of the National Reconstruction Fund, the plans for an Office of Made in Australia, and the future of the Industry Growth Centres, Mr Husic details Labor plans for industry development if it wins next Saturday.
There is plenty of uncertainty in the global economy right now, from supply-chain concerns to the war in Ukraine to geo-political tensions and the complications of the ongoing pandemic. But Verizon Business chief revenue officer Sowmyanarayan Sampath – known universally as simply Sampath – the global business outlook has never looked stronger. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, Sampath talks about the megatrends of the telecommunications sector.
The final episode of the Counterpoint Conversations podcast series will focus on the challenges ahead in reshaping the cultural settings of the defence force, particularly in relation to the augmented reality and virtual reality technologies being adopted for learning and development.
As the demands of the AUKUS program evolve, engaging the widest range of people with the right mix of problem-solving skills is going to be essential. Diversity of thinking – including addressing gender balance and managing awareness of bias – will be a central plank for success.
With the defence sector’s increasing move to gamification and augmented reality to innovate and adapt to the changing nature of warfare, this podcast will explore the importance of inclusivity at the design stage of technology to ensure diversity in thought, assessment, life experience and world view, to help address complexity in decision making.
New South Wales will continue to focus on research commercialisation through its on-going co-investment in critical research infrastructure and encouraging greater collaboration of the “triple helix” of universities, government and industry, according to the state’s Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology Alister Henskens. In this podcast, Mr Henskens – who is also NSW Minister for Skills and Training, talks to InnovationAus editor James Riley.
This discussion will explore transformative projects within the public sector. Public sector projects progress at a different speed to those in the private sector, and scrutiny of government project management extends far beyond a government agency’s internal stakeholders - there are multiple goals and milestones to report on, many teams of people to manage and access to an incredible wealth of resources.
In this episode, Public Sector Medal recipient Patricia Kelly (formerly with the SKA and IP Australia), and Principal of Buildcorp, Josephine Sukkar, explore the projects that have been created in the public sector environment and become transformative by way of multiple applications across the economy. What are the projects that have been created within certain confines of government, that have gone on to be the foundation for significant national policies and outputs – and who are the people working behind the scenes to deliver them?
The Capability - Submarines, industrial development and frontier technologies webinar was a discussion at the highest levels of business about how companies can mobilise to build strategically important and commercially valuable intellectual property.
Large-scale defence contracts direct huge investment into high-tech industries. At a time when a raft of powerful new technologies are coming of age, considered and well-directed industry programs and partnerships can be truly transformative. The industrial development opportunities for Australia are extraordinary.
Where is Australia placing its big bets to leverage existing research leadership? Where does Australia already have comparative advantage, and where will it partner to augment home-grown capability ? Quantum, artificial intelligence, 5G, advanced manufacturing, robotics and automation, and critical mineral processing are all part of this mix.
Expert guests included:
- Adrian Beer, CEO, METS Ignited
- Rob Le Busque, Regional Vice President, Asia Pacific at Verizon Business Group
- Jens Goennemann, Managing Director, Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre.
For more information on what was discussed, see AUKUS brings ‘huge multiplier effect’ to local industry (innovationaus.com).
The Capability - Submarines, industrial development and frontier technologies webinar was a discussion at the highest levels of business about how companies can mobilise to build strategically important and commercially valuable intellectual property.
Large-scale defence contracts direct huge investment into high-tech industries. At a time when a raft of powerful new technologies are coming of age, considered and well-directed industry programs and partnerships can be truly transformative. The industrial development opportunities for Australia are extraordinary.
Where is Australia placing its big bets to leverage existing research leadership? Where does Australia already have comparative advantage, and where will it partner to augment home-grown capability ? Quantum, artificial intelligence, 5G, advanced manufacturing, robotics and automation, and critical mineral processing are all part of this mix.
Expert guests included:
- The Hon. Steven Marshall, Premier of South Australia
- Professor Michelle Simmons AO, CEO & Founder at Silicon Quantum Computing, Director at ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology
- Rear Admiral Lee Goddard , RAN, Head of Partnerships & Operations at Minderoo Foundation.
For more information on what was discussed, see AUKUS brings ‘huge multiplier effect’ to local industry (innovationaus.com).
Those who make up the senior cohort of cyber in gov are mainly women, and we’re interested to discuss the reasons for this and how it benefits cyber as a portfolio. How much of an executive-level role in the cyber industry is about the technology, and how much is about people skills and an ability to convey the message? This episode will discuss ‘counterpoints’ of how gender and diversity more generally equips business and government to be more cyber resilient.
We understand at a high level that 5G is a powerful new technology, but how this next-gen tech is harnessed ultimately comes down to its creative application by industries to solve their most pressing challenges. In this episode of Age of Trust, InnovationAus publisher Corrie McLeod talks to Stuart Hendry, head of global enterprise & public sector for the Asia Pacific at Nokia and Rob Le Busque, regional VP for the Asia Pacific at Verizon about how 5G can supercharge problem-solving solutions.
The views and opinions expressed by guest speakers do not necessarily reflect the view or position of Verizon.
The Australian Government’s goal to be a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI) must be a diverse and inclusive effort if we’re to better benefit from varied approaches to problem solving.
This not only refers to the importance of supporting the next generation of women in STEM, but also including the voices of First Peoples as we negotiate the complexity around AI and machine learning.
This discussion will focus on what the creation of ethical AI looks like from an indigenous perspective and how responsible AI and science is being combined with Indigenous knowledge to solve complex problems, both in Australia and abroad.
Members of the academic field of science will play a vital role in building the 21st century enterprises that will create solutions and jobs critical to solving complex societal problems. However, we can only ever be successful with our scientific endeavours if we can get them out of the lab and into the business landscape. Dharmica Mistry, co-founder and former chief scientist for BCAL Diagnostics and Head of medtech and biotech for Cicada Innovations, and Alistair Gordon, CEO of HFL Leadership, discuss business as a counterpoint to science, the importance of business acumen to effectively communicate its applications, and the barriers encountered by women undertaking management and leadership activity in technical fields.
Streamlining the two-way trade and investment process between Australia and the US is essential to the COVID recovery of both countries. The value of this mutual investment currently accounts for 90% of the Australian share market, and is 10 times larger than the value of our relationship with China. So what has changed in how the two countries can work together? April Palmerlee, CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce In Australia (AmCham) and MJ Salier, Chief Legal Counsel at Verizon discuss how we can leverage the trust American businesses have in Australia’s transparent and accountable legal and regulatory systems, and what role 5G and IoT connected devices can play in this relationship.
The views and opinions expressed by guest speakers do not necessarily reflect the view or position of Verizon.
5G is a pivotal feature of connectivity. In this InnovationAus The Age of Trust podcast, NSW Government Department of Customer Service’s Director Spatial Services, Wayne Patterson, and Verizon’s Head of Solution Architects, Tony Harb, discuss the importance of connectivity for important, and at times critical, digital twins of real-world entities. Leveraging digital twins could create value for enterprises in Industry 4.0, address the challenges of Australia’s COVID recovery to boost the economy, and support organisations in their digital transformation.
The views and opinions expressed by guest speakers do not necessarily reflect the view or position of Verizon.
The Technology Council of Australia is the nation’s powerful new peak industry body, launched last month with ambitions as big as the sector it represents. Huge. In this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, the Tech Council’s inaugural CEO Kate Pounder talks about the enormous job creation potential of the sector, and the role it will play in Australia’s economic recovery.
The impact of the recent amendment to Australia’s Security of Critical Infrastructure Act on smaller companies within the electricity, gas, water and maritime supply chains is yet to be fully realised. Fergus Hanson, Director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s International Cyber Policy Centre and Derek Fittler, ANZ Head of Verizon Business Group discuss that while businesses across most industries generally now understand the impact and risk of a cybersecurity breach and the role they play from a vulnerability point of view, do they have the skillsets and cyber requirements to take action.
The views and opinions expressed by guest speakers do not necessarily reflect the view or position of Verizon.
Martin Duursma is a partner at Australia’s premier deep-tech focused venture capital outfit, Main Sequence Ventures, charged with overseeing the firm’s space industry investments. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, Martin talks about the massive opportunities that exist in the space industry – and the massive ambition that is being applied to securing Australia’s share of it.
With the shift from in-person, bricks and mortar shopping to online shopping surging, retailers must continue to invest in innovative customer experiences – to capture revenue and offset lost sales. Among key priorities are scaling up digital, improving the ecommerce customer experience and operating efficiency, futureproofing end-to-end operating models and progressing supply chain transformation. Brad Blyth, Chief Information Officer at Kmart and Target and Mathew Wells, Global Solutions and Strategy at Verizon Business Group discuss changing retail patterns and habits, and the use of next-gen tech to drive sales and improve customer interaction.
The views and opinions expressed by guest speakers do not necessarily reflect the view or position of Verizon.
The disruption of the last 18 months has driven revolutionary change, and we in turn must be revolutionary innovators that ask questions and solve problems no one else has thought of. The issues of resilience against bushfires and cyber threats came together in an Age of Trust podcast with Rear Admiral Lee Goddard CSC, RAN, head of partnership ecosystem, government relations and operations at the Minderoo Foundation and Rob Le Busque, regional vice president, Asia Pacific at Verizon.
The views and opinions expressed by guest speakers do not necessarily reflect the view or position of Verizon.
For years NSW Minister for Customer Service and Minister for Digital Victor Dominello has been the state’s chief advocate for building world-class digital government services. In this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, Mr Dominello talks about how the maturity of the NSW digital infrastructure has helped deliver the health and economic response to the pandemic, and how the coronavirus has reshaped digital priorities. He also talks at length on using government procurement policy to build the NSW and Australian tech industry.
Karen Dewey had a long and successful career as an executive producer in commercial television, including lengthy stints as Head of Reality and Factual at Nine Network Australia and ITV Studios, before jumping out into StartupLand as co-founder and CEO of Lumi.Media. It’s platform software for the global TV production industry, and it’s coming out of Australia. In this episode of The Commercial Disco, she talks to James Riley about the exhilarating ride.
Australia’s Ambassador to the United States arrived in Washington in February 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was spreading across the world. In this interview he talks about a US economy that is now roaring back to life and the opportunities this presents for Australian companies. He also charts the progress of talks on a proposed Australia-US Digital Economy Trade Agreement.
The low number of women in STEM occupations is “a national emergency”, according to the chairman of Industry Innovation and Science Australia, Andrew Stevens, who is also a member of Champions of Change, a group of CEOs and company directors working to achieve gender equality.
He recently spoke to InnovationAus CEO and publisher, Corrie McLeod, and Dominique Fisher, co-founder and CEO of Paddl Co, off the back of the Paddl Impact Accelerator Program, sponsored by Western Sydney University, with InnovationAus as the media partner and the Western National Innovation Games funded by the Australian Government and delivered by Paddl Co.
There is a need for new policy structures and funding to stimulate innovation across the economy, especially during the COVID recovery period. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, ANDHealth Chief Executive Bronwyn Le Grice and Cicada Innovations CEO Sally-Ann Williams discuss Australia’s innovation ecosystem – and lament the growth of ‘innovation theatre’. Now is the time urgency, they say.
The National Archives of Australia is a literally a national treasure, the central store of the story of Australia and its people. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, James Riley talks to the archives’ Director-General David Fricker about the technology challenges of maintaining access to material stored on ageing data formats – and the significant budgetary pressures that this puts on the institution.
InnovationAus’ Budget Insider returns online, where the team examine treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s budget and how it could affect our industry. This friendly and frank discussion is hosted by the InnovationAus team; Publisher Corrie McLeod, Editorial Director James Riley and Senior Reporter Denham Sadler. This year our expert industry guests include: Sarah Pearson, Non Executive Director and Investment Director, Nick Therkelsen-Terry, CEO and CoFounder of Max Kelsen and Matt Barrie, CEO of Freelancer.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco, James Riley talks to one of Australia’s foremost cyber security commentators and the CEO of the Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre, Rachael Falk about building sovereign capability; what makes a successful research collaboration between government, industry and research institutions; creating innovative solutions for the ever-evolving problems and developing great IP.
Max Kelsen is one of a growing breed of fast-growing Australian AI companies. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, James Riley talks to Max Kelsen chief executive Nick Therkelsen-Terry about the growth opportunities for the software sector – and the need to governments to better target industry policy.
InnovationAus Publisher Corrie McLeod spoke with expert guests; Carrick Ryan, Former Australian Federal Agent and Political Commentator; Marie Johnson, CEO of The Centre for Digital Business and Han Aulby, Executive Director of The Centre for Public Integrity on Transparency in Government as part of InnovationAus’ own Public Interest Series.
The discussion covered a wide range of issues on how data intelligence could be used in the private sector to enable transparency in government and how data intelligence can be applied to the operation of the public sector.
In this episode of The InnovationAus Podcast, we talk to Dane Eldridge, the founder and chief executive of Sydney-based software development and digital transformation specialists 4mation.
In a market already suffering significant shortages of digital skills, Mr Eldridge says ‘Brand Australia’ should use its positive handling of the COVID pandemic to attract the best and brightest talent from overseas. We were already a lifestyle superpower he says, and now we’re even more attractive.
Trailblazing mathematics scholar, Emeritus Professor Cheryl E Praeger AC, recently awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia for her work in the field of mathematics talks to InnovationAus Publisher Corrie McLeod on her long career in STEM, collaborating on international joint research by sea mail in the 70’s and overcoming challenges as a female in the world of mathematics.
Australia is a leader in the development of autonomous robots used in remote automation systems across a range of industries – but in the mining and resources sector in particular. Australia also has a comparative advantage in the development of industrial drone applications through its – of all things – relatively sophisticated regulatory environment. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, Dr Catherine Ball talks about the opportunities for Australian companies to lead the world.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco, Gabrielle Upton talks about the NSW Government’s recently released ‘Accelerating R&D Action Plan' that aims to make NSW a global centre in this part of the world for research and innovation. The ambitions are bold.
John-Paul Syriatowicz co-founded Australian digital transformation leader Squiz in 1998, growing the company to more than 400 employees across 13 offices around the world. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, John-Paul talks about the skills shortages facing the R&D Tax Incentive and what its like to build product in this country.
Home-grown global software giant Atlassian has published a set of ‘Eight Principles’ that can help guide the development of sound tech policy as part of a renewed push to engage with government on policy formulation. In this episode of the Commercial Disco we talk to Atlassian’s newly-appointed Director of Global Public Policy about the principles, as well as some of the policy challenges facing the Australian tech sector.
2020 was a landmark year across every measure. Starting with bushfires across Australia, followed by a global pandemic which brought digital transformation off our lips and firmly on everyone’s agendas, the year saw transformative changes alongside devastating losses. The government made significant announcements in the fields of cyber security, hinting at state actors disrupting governments, businesses and the stability of our economy, and announced a raft of new measures to stimulate our “return beyond recession.” Business has reeled, then addressed the disruption with changing the ways we work. The future remains unclear, but in this final episode in the Age of Trust series by Verizon, Verizon President of Global Enterprise, Sowmyanarayan Sampath and Regional Vice President, Asia Pacific at Verizon Business Group Robert Le Busque talk to InnovationAus publisher Corrie McLeod candidly about the year that was, and how we can remain positive and future forward for the next 10 and even 20 years.
Lyria-Bennett Moses is the Director at the Allens Hub for Technology, Law and Innovation, a research collaboration between the Allens law firm and the University of New South Wales, where she is a Professor. The intersection of the law and new technologies is always fertile ground for incredibly interesting discussion. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, Professor Moses digs deep into the myriad issues related to Predictive Policing, whereby law enforcement uses tools of growing sophistication to predict – in a probabilistic sense – where crime make take place in the future. There are a lot of issues.
5G's new standards for enterprise will open the floodgates to a host of previously infeasible applications, allowing for industrial-scale IoT networks for buildings, factories, warehouses, ports, and many other use cases. In the future, we will see companies invest in private 5G installations, which may be single-site or spread across multiple locations. In this episode of the Age of Trust series by Verizon, InnovationAus publisher Corrie McLeod talks to CTO of Nokia Oceania Rob Joyce, CEO of Communications Alliance, John Stanton and Verizon’s SVP Enterprise Solutions /5G, Toby Eduardo Redshaw on the considerations for Australian companies. Will this be public versus cloud wars all over again? How can businesses expect to roll out private 5G networks? What are the pros and cons? And where will private 5G deployments make the most sense?
The views and opinions expressed by guest speakers do not necessarily reflect the view or position of Verizon.
CyberArk and InnovationAus have partnered to present the Bridging the Cyber Divide: CyberSecurity - The Digital Backbone podcast series. This series will examine how cybersecurity underpins our growing digital economy. In episode one, “Securing a Digital Economy”, InnovationAus editorial director James Riley talks with the director of cyber security for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Robert Deakin and CyberArk Regional Director ANZ Thomas Fikentscher, on how Australian governments are accelerating plans to expand the way to develop our digital economies and how hyper-connectivity, mobile technology and the internet of things impacts our understanding of data, identity and cybersecurity.
Australia’s mining industry is among the most competitive and most efficient in the world. It is an area in which Australia has built competitive advantage. So how do leverage the genuine scale and expertise of supply chains in the resources sector to build a globally-focused Australian technology sector. Panellists include: Larry Marshall Chief Executive at CSIRO Adrian Beer, CEO of METS Ignited Australia Sally-Ann Williams, CEO of Cicada Innovations Sharna Glover, Non-Executive Director of Robotics Australia and moderated by InnovationAus Editorial Director, James Riley.
Australian Human Rights Commissioner talks to the Commercial Disco about his deep-dive investigation of issues at the nexus of human rights and technology. “It will be to our competitive advantage if we can show to consumers overseas, that a piece of AI or new technology developed here has human rights protections baked in,” he says.
The workings of big business and government have come under intense scrutiny in recent times. The Banking Royal Commission revealed multiple instances of malfeasance. The enquiry into Victoria’s hotel quarantine debacle failed to identify who authorised the use of private security firms, despite revealing details of many emails, phone conversations and text messages.
Investigations like these rely on trawling vast repositories of information in search of evidence. Technology is increasingly able to streamline searches for information and even discover important details and events that were never put on record. Public Access Deputy Commissioner in the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner (OVIC) Joanne Kummrow talks with InnovationAus editorial director James Riley and Mimecast country manager for Australia, Nick Lennon on AI and the information discovery challenge.
Australia boasts one of the most competitive and efficient mining sectors in the world. It is a sector where Australia significant competitive advantage. But it is a sector that is also undergoing tremendous disruptive change through the impact of new technologies from artificial intelligence, robotics, remote sensoring and all forms of industrial automation. This is a challenge and opportunity for Australia. If we can reconfigure our supply chains in the Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) sector and build a strong domestic capability, we can make our mines more efficient as well as export these products and services to the world. Capability developed in our huge mining sector can be leveraged into adjacent industries ranging from agriculture and food production to defence and space.
What is behind the acquisition of Yahoo7 and Verizon media? As the world’s entertainment and businesses have shifted online, what can we expect from our entertainment and information services of the future and what are the technologies driving these services?
In Episode 6 of the Age of Trust series “The Future of Media, 5G and IoT” InnovationAus publisher Corrie McLeod talks to Verizon APAC lead Robert Le Busque and Verizon Managing Director of ANZ Paul Sigaloff on the technology that underpins the future of media. They also talk about the “Age of Human”, the personalisation and delivery of content and services through 5G, bringing together ecommerce, social interaction, AR and VR among other cutting-edge technologies and the potential for computerised cars, console-free games that span the entire world and 3D imaging in healthcare applications.
After a 50-plus year career in technology Ann Moffatt is a living legend of the Australian industry. Certainly she is a pioneer, both as a technologist and as a woman pushing ahead in an industry that became increasingly dominated by men. It’s been a wild ride, and a life well-lived and Ann Moffatt has stories to tell. She has just published a memoir, ‘The IT Girl – 50 years as a woman working in the information technology sector’.
The federal Government’s R&D Tax Incentive largesse should go exclusively to startups and not big business, says one of Australia’s foremost software entrepreneurs. Big companies can survive without RDTI, while startups are the future of the Australian economy and need all the nurture they can get, according to Adrian Di Marco, executive chairman of Australian software company TechnologyOne.
Where previously we focused on security at the perimeter, we will start to see wholesale intellectual property and data security issues underpinning the appetite for a mass shift of human knowledge workers – this means now securing intangible assets – IP and knowledge. In Episode 5 of the Age of Trust series, “Thriving in a Post Covid-19 World”, Managing Director of EverEdge Global Michael Masterson and Client Partner of Defence and Security for Verizon, Nathan Strong talk with InnovationAus publisher Corrie McLeod on how to value and protect data, content, confidential information, software and brands? These are now the most important assets an organisation owns, accounting for over 87% of company value today and are the primary drivers of company growth and performance.
With this year’s Data Breach Investigation Report 2020 revealing almost double the number of breaches from the previous year, we look at the findings through an Australian lens.
In Episode 4 of the Age of Trust series, “Securing the Heartbeat of Knowledge – Data”, InnovationAus publisher Corrie McLeod asks The Australian Federal Police’s Cybercrime Operation Commander, Commander Chris Goldsmid and Operations Director of Verizon Prescott Pym; What are the main trends? What are the challenges for industries? What are organisations doing well? What are the weak points? With data becoming even more important for the 4th industrial revolution, will cyber espionage become an even greater risk in future?
As businesses head back to the drawing board to redesign their post-COVID19 strategies, there is a new opportunity to invest in the redesign of core competencies that will rebuild Australia’s global competitiveness. In episode 3 of the Age of Trust series CEO of METS Ignited (Mining Equipment, Technology and Services) Adrian Beer and Head of Solution Architects for Verizon Tony Harb talk to InnovationAus publisher Corrie McLeod on how enterprises will use new 5G driven services to optimise the supply chain while building resilience and will this impact cyber challenges for an IoT device-driven world? What's the role of IoT? How will smart companies be taking core competencies and supercharging them with technologies?
Australian software developers complain the R&D Tax Incentive is too risky and tricky to access for their style of innovation, but there may be a quick-fire method of ensuring a software company’s RDTI claim is above board. In this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, James Riley talks to Innovation and Science Australia committee member and serial entrepreneur Marty Gauvin and Evado chief technologist Ross Anderson about methodologies for claiming software under the R&D tax incentive scheme.
Gilmour Space Technologies, the Australian rocket startup gunning for business from SpaceX and its Starlink satellite broadband constellation, will soon begin the search for more venture capital ahead of its premier commercial space launch in 2022.
“We are going to do another capital raise at the end of the year,” Gilmour Space Technologies chief and co-founder, Adam Gilmour, told InnovationAus.
Gilmour Space, a Queensland-based hybrid rocket launcher, raised $19 million in a Series B in 2018 from Main Sequence Ventures and Blackbird Ventures, which led a $5 million Series A round a year earlier with backing from US-based 500 Startups.
It has been the most challenging period of our lives. But if the difficult health and economic response to the coronavirus pandemic has brought a silver lining, it is that the forced agility of governments across Australia has changed the trust dynamic with citizens. This has clear implications for the roll-out of government digital services, according to Adobe’s Principal Digital Strategist for the Asia-Pacific region John Mackenney.
COVID-19 has highlighted Australia’s reliance on long and complex supply chains and there is pressure to both shorten and diversify them. In Episode 2 of the Age of Trust series, “Protecting the Internet of Things”, the CEO of IoT Alliance Australia Frank Zeichner and Verizon Senior Technologist Andy Lamrock talk to InnovationAus publisher Corrie McLeod, on how Australian businesses can diversify supply chains and also use technology to ensure that the economies of doing so make commercial sense. How transformation will coincide with the roll out and adoption of 5G and IoT which will have huge potential to rethink how industry balances volume, technology, and commercial imperatives. And as IoT techniques and technologies move into Australian business and government what are the cyber security challenges posed and how you can protect yourself and your business?
In this episode of the Commercial Disco, Frederic Kerrest talks about launching his digital identity company Okta in 2009 during the post-GFC recession - and why such periods of turmoil are full of opportunity for fast-moving disrupters. Okta is now an 11-year-old, US$25 billion market cap global identity platform. He also offers his take on today’s global tech and geopolitical issues, including e-voting and the future of the internet. There are lessons here for Australian startup companies wrestling with the COVID recession and looking to the future.
Verizon and InnovationAus have partnered to present the new Age of Trust podcast series. The podcast series explores how we are securing our future for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Cybersecurity experts and industry leaders will discuss the impact of remote working, data protection, intangible assets and the mega-trends affecting us in this hyper-connected environment. We set the scene with episode one, “Global Regulatory Issues and Opportunities”. InnovationAus publisher, Corrie McLeod interviews MJ Salier Chief Legal Counsel at Verizon and Michelle Price CEO of AustCyber to discuss how Australia fits into changing digital regulations around the world and the shifting trends in technology and business.
Professor Lesley Seebeck is the chief executive officer at the ANU’s Cyber Institute and is a member of the Australian Government’s Naval Shipbuilding Advisory Board. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, Prof Seebeck takes a hard look at the federal 2020 Cyber Security Strategy and laments its lack of an ‘organising principle’. There is much work needed to put some structure and shape in the strategy.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco host James Riley talks to Cicada Innovations chief executive Sally-Ann Williams about Australia’s deep tech entrepreneurs and the big problems they are focused on solving. Based at the Australian Technology Park in Sydney, Cicada Innovations is the nation’s most successful deep tech accelerator, with a 20-year track record in helping grow highly technical startup companies into commercial successes. Ms Williams joined Cicada a year ago after a 12-year career at Google in Australia, where she was responsible for leading the company’s efforts in entrepreneurship and startup engagement, research collaborations and STEM education & outreach (K-12).
In this episode of the Commercial Disco, James Riley talks to the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology about the rapid response of the manufacturing sector initial phase of the COVID-19 health crisis, and discusses the shape of the economic recovery and the role of the technology sector in that process. This big picture interview covers everything from the role of data sharing in rapid decision-making on policy responses, to the R&D Tax Incentive, the Manufacturing Modernisation Fund to the Accelerating Commercialisation program.
Larry Marshall is the chief executive officer at the CSIRO – the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation – Australia’s national research agency. In this podcast, Dr Marshall discusses the role of science and industrial innovation in the post-COVID economic recovery. Ever the optimist, he points to the many wealth creation opportunities for Australia that can be built on the back of Australian expertise. He also details the CSIRO’s role in the health response to the coronavirus, including helping to develop a vaccine, and its collaboration with scientists in China.
Michael Biercuk is Professor of Quantum Physics and Quantum Technology at the University of Sydney, and founder and chief executive officer at quantum startup Q-CTRL. In this episode of the Commercial Disco, James Riley asks Prof Biercuk what the view looks like from his vantage point that sits at the centre of university-based deep-tech research and the demands of driving a VC-funded deep-tech startup.
Prof Biercuk has strong views about research, commercialisation strategies and the policies needed to drive successful medium and long-term outcomes for the nation.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco, James Riley talks to Innovation and Science Australia chair Andrew Stevens about research, commercialisation and potential policy responses to drive innovation outcomes in the post-COVID economic environment.
In this episode of the Commercial Disco, host James Riley talks to former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull about industry policy and innovation during a time of pandemic. Mr Turnbull talks about his new political autobiography A Bigger Picture, and offers insights into the challenges and opportunities for the post-COVID environment in Australia.
James Riley talks to Data61 CEO Adrian Turner, exploring what's needed to drive better R&D commitment and outcomes across Australian industry, and where we're succeeding today.
James speaks to Bronwyn Le Grice, Managing Director & CEO, ANDHealth, on the state of Australia's health tech and digital health innovation.
James talks to Daniel Petre about the impending election and the lack of focus on innovation discussions in the recent political climate.
This week we speak to Stuart McClure, Founder & CEO of Cylance, about his first sale to McAfee and now his sale of Cylance to Blackberry and how that brings a new alignment to his company's cybersecurity mission.
We catch up with Paul Shetler to discuss how the changes to the NSW administrative orders after the state election set it on a course for some world leading digital service delivery.