InnovationAus – Overworked, underpaid: Australian science nears ‘breaking point’

Australian scientists have reported they are overworked and underpaid in a large annual survey of the local sector which shows fatigue climbing and morale dropping as job losses and insecure work bite during the pandemic. The two peak groups, Professional Scientists Australia and Science; Technology Australia (STA), surveyed nearly 1300 of their members on salaries…

CyberSecurity Connect – Building sovereign resilience into Australian technology supply chains

Jason Van der Schyff, COO of technology company SoftIron, explains how Australia can build sovereign resilience into its critical technology infrastructure. Australian supply chains, and the IT technology “stacks” on which they rely, are increasingly becoming a target for cyberattacks that aim to exploit the vertical to gain access to sensitive data, systems and devices.…

The New Daily – Australia’s capacity to manufacture goods lowest in developed world: Report

A new report has found Australia has the lowest level of manufacturing self-sufficiency of any OECD country, prompting calls for the Morrison government to appoint a minister for Australian sovereign capability. Read the full article on The New Daily: https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/finance-news/2021/09/13/australia-manufacturing-report/

Local battery industry a no-brainer, urgent review needed

A report by industrial manufacturing experts has concluded Australia needs an urgent 100-day review of its supply chains to identify gaps in sovereign manufacturing capabilities because economic opportunities are going begging in areas that include battery mineral value-adding. See the full article on the Australian Financial Review: https://www.afr.com/companies/manufacturing/local-battery-industry-a-no-brainer-urgent-review-needed-20210910-p58qn0

Report: manufacturing self-sufficiency levels leave us “precariously dependent” – AUManufacturing

A new report carried out by Flinders University researchers for the Australian Sovereign Capability Alliance has said the nation lacks a proper national strategy around capability, and recommends a 100-day review of supply chains. See the full article on the AUManufacturing website here: https://www.aumanufacturing.com.au/report-manufacturing-self-sufficiency-levels-leave-us-precariously-dependent

InnovationAus – Procurement dollars to drive local industry outcomes: Husic

Shadow Industry minister Ed Husic has called on governments to attach industry development goals and economic growth outcomes to procurement decisions, whether it’s in relation to large-scale infrastructure projects or information technology. Governments have a choice about where they spend taxpayers’ dollars in sourcing the goods and services they need, and it should be directed…

Op-Ed: Sustaining sovereign innovation for Australia’s cyber-physical interests – Defence Connect

The last month or so has seen unprecedented levels of focus and interest in Australia’s approach to cyber security and the trust we place in data, digital infrastructures and interconnected value and supply chains. Sustaining that is critical to national security, explain Michelle Price, CEO of AustCyber, and Alex Scandurra, CEO of Stone & Chalk. Click here to read this…