Canberra
Data

Why this weeks changes to the Consumer Data Right are great news for tackling climate change and the cost of your power bill

- August 16, 2024 3 MIN READ

This week’s passing of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Consumer Data Right) Bill 2022 by the Australian Parliament has reignited discussions about its potential to drive positive change. While concerns about complexity, data quality, low consumer uptake, and high implementation costs persist, the government’s commitment to extending and simplifying the CDR by focusing on high-value use… Read more »

Other tech

Melbourne’s e-scooter experiment is over

- August 14, 2024 2 MIN READ

The Victorian capital’s 30-month trial of renting e-scooters on the city streets will end after the council killed off their use in a majority vote. City of Melbourne councillors voted 6-4 to end the contracts with Lime and Neuron, having trialed their use since February 2022. Lord mayor Nicholas Reece led the charge against them,… Read more »

Surveillance room
Cyber security

Why trust and protection from government snooping are central to its digital ID plans

- August 14, 2024 3 MIN READ

On Tuesday, Australia’s minister for government services, Bill Shorten, announced the federal government is developing a new digital identity and credential system. Known as the Trust Exchange (TEx), Shorten said the new system will be “world leading” and represents an “exciting step forward for Australia’s digital infrastructure”. But details about the system are scarce. Shorten… Read more »

Stephen Jones
Fintech

Why the Consumer Data Right matters and you need to tell Australian politicians what you think

- August 7, 2024 3 MIN READ

Next week, the Australian Parliament will cast a pivotal vote on advancing the Consumer Data Right (CDR) to Action Initiation. This decision could redefine consumer freedom and competition across the nation, making it one of the most significant moments in our history. What is Action Initiation?  Action Initiation will enable consumers to take unprecedented control… Read more »

Business

Researchers found an easy way to detect companies that perform poorly – the number of government grants they receive

- July 18, 2024 3 MIN READ

Australia hands out the best part of A$1 billion per year in grants to businesses. Many of these come with no strings attached, meaning there is no need to evaluate whether the grants boost employment, help the recipients become more efficient, or benefit the nation. To test what good these grants do, my team at… Read more »

Cloud representation
Global tech

Why Amazon is building a ‘top secret’ $2 billion cloud for Australia’s military intelligence

- July 8, 2024 3 MIN READ

Amazon has secured a A$2 billion contract with the Australian Signals Directorate – the agency responsible for foreign signals intelligence and information security. A local subsidiary of Amazon Web Services will build a Top Secret Cloud to provide secure data storage for military intelligence. The deal will securely manage top secret data vital to Australia’s… Read more »

Politics

Here’s what the NSW Budget offers for startups

- June 18, 2024 2 MIN READ

If startups were hoping that after 15 months in power, the NSW Labor government would finally move from cuts to investment in the sector, the state Budget, released on Tuesday, is best summed up by a line from Dante’s Inferno as they enter hell: abandon all hope, ye who enter here. Across the entire budget,… Read more »

Deep tech
Politics

What deep tech founders need to know about the Budget

- May 17, 2024 3 MIN READ

To ensure our long-term economic prosperity, Australia must continue to develop and establish sovereign capabilities in future critical industries. “This requires aligning the nation on a bold and visionary future through policy levers focussed on long-term, transformational opportunities while also galvanising short-term action to address our current circumstances”, commented Cicada Innovations CEO Sally-Ann Williams.  Sally also… Read more »

Smart industry robot arms for digital factory manufacturing, Industry 4.0
Politics

More innovation and diversity is needed in tech if the government really wants a ‘future made in Australia’

- May 17, 2024 3 MIN READ

This year’s federal budget is making up for decades of lost time – both in our clean energy transition and in betting on new technological breakthroughs. The Future Made in Australia Act holds tantalising potential for building Australian science, research and development. The aim is to turn Australia into an innovation and clean technology superpower.… Read more »

Carolyn Breeze
Politics

Budget 2024: Tech sector reactions

- May 15, 2024 11 MIN READ

The answer to “how to you eat a shit sandwich?” when it comes to politics is: “With a grin”. The startup sector put on a brave face tonight following the 2024 federal budget. There were some big ticket items, but two years into its 3-year term, Labor offered little to tech specifically as it focused… Read more »

Politics

Why the federal government’s merger plans are bad news for startups

- May 1, 2024 3 MIN READ

Australia’s startup industry is entitled to ask itself what are the government’s expectations when it comes to technology? While some of the government’s moves around Big Tech have been encouraging, proposed changes to mergers and acquisitions requirements will likely have a chilling effect on dealmaking and investment in our local startup industry.  What’s happened? Last… Read more »

Gilmour Space rockets
Politics

Why the Future Made in Australia Act is us playing global catch-up

- April 16, 2024 4 MIN READ

Australia is a trading nation. Its economy relies on a strong and open global trade environment. Australian governments have historically rejected protectionist industrial policies that undermine fair competition, and Canberra has long been a staunch advocate of the World Trade Organisation, whose rules help “promote and protect the open global trading system”. Yet Labor has… Read more »