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.
Episodes
30 minutes ago
30 minutes ago
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.
2 days ago
2 days ago
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.
5 days ago
5 days ago
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.
6 days ago
6 days ago
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.
Tuesday Apr 14, 2026
Tuesday Apr 14, 2026
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.
Thursday Apr 09, 2026
Thursday Apr 09, 2026
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.
Wednesday Apr 08, 2026
Wednesday Apr 08, 2026
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.
Wednesday Apr 08, 2026
Wednesday Apr 08, 2026
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.
Tuesday Apr 07, 2026
Tuesday Apr 07, 2026
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.
Wednesday Apr 01, 2026
Wednesday Apr 01, 2026
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.