InnovationAus Podcast

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),...

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 availab...

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 C...

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.