Australian tech start-up lobby group StartupAUS recently acknowledged Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s new business leadership as a strong and credentialed team well placed to support the growth of Australia’s start-up ecosystem.
CEO of StartupAUS, Peter Bradd said Prime Minister Turnbull has clearly recognised the future drivers for Australia’s economic growth and the younger and more diverse front bench highlights this emphasis.
“With Malcolm Turnbull as Prime Minister, Christopher Pyne as Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Minister, Wyatt Roy as Assistant Minister for Innovation and Mitch Fifield as Minister for Communications, there is a passionate and experienced team in place to deliver on Turnbull’s opening promises around innovation and our future economy.
“This is a leadership team that has already demonstrated they understand the key drivers of the start-up ecosystem and its role in shaping our future economy.
“A recent report by PwC predicted technology based startups are worth over $US109 billion and have the potential to create 540,000 jobs by 2033.
“This is critical in the face of the recent Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) report, which predicted that in the next decade, 40 per cent of Australian jobs could be replaced by automation.
“It’s reassuring to see technology entrepreneurship and innovation move into its rightful place as one of the most important agenda’s for this government.
“The announcement of a coordinated approach to bring together innovation initiatives right across government will enable Australia to take advantage of these new growth opportunities and ensure Australia’s place as a first world economy.”
StartupAUS released a credible, action-oriented plan called Crossroads that set out structured world-class programs to help ensure Australia gets to where we need to be. This document was critical in shifting the political debate around policy settings to stimulate start-up activity.
StartupAUS is confident in Turnbull’s ministers
Bradd highlighted the new cabinet member’s recent achievements in the digital technologies area.
“Last week, one of Christopher Pyne’s last duties as Minister for education was endorsing the Digital Technologies Curriculum and encouraging the Education Council to get more students studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
“This was an incredibly important move in ensuring our skill set is competitive in Australia, and offers a huge advantage to current students and future graduates.
“Minister Wyatt Roy has spent an incredible amount of time educating and inspiring our federal government and the Australian public on embracing technology entrepreneurship as a pathway to future growth.
“He has sat in many meetings with StartupAUS and other ministers assisting to explain the recommendations of policy and the benefit back to the Australian economy.
“StartupAUS recently held a round table with most of the ASX 20, whom account for nearly 50 per cent of the ASX market capitalisation. They unanimously voiced the importance of an innovative economy of the future if Australia is going to have any chance at competing with nimble international players.
“Our overseas counterparts are rapidly disrupting whole industries.
“Therefore supporting tech startups is about supporting industry and providing them with an environment whereby they can thrive and compete in the current fast paced innovative climate where distance is no longer a defense.”
The ACS agrees with StartupAUS
Australian ICT professional association, ACS has also congratulated Senator The Hon. Mitch Fifield on his appointment as Minister for Communications under Turnbull’s government.
“Senator Fifield will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role which will help navigate digital policy through a sometimes challenging political process,” said acting ACS CEO Kim Finch.
“We look forward to working with the Minister and helping him build Australia’s digital capability, which will be critical to securing a strong future for the Australian economy.
“At at broader level, the ACS is excited by Prime Minister Turnbull’s focus on setting a national agenda which seeks to make Australia more agile and better equipped to capture the opportunities being created in a globally connected, digital world.
“A key to grasping these opportunities will be to ensure we lift the supply of skilled IT professionals and other STEM based occupations. This is where the jobs of the future lie.”
Finch applauded the increased focus on innovation and it being combined in one portfolio with industry and science under Minister Pyne.
“It is extremely encouraging to see Innovation as part of a portfolio at the Federal level. Innovation is the key to achieving sustained economic prosperity and particularly for Australia as we look to reduce our traditional reliance on the mining sector and develop new engines of growth.
“We are looking forward to working Prime Minister Turnbull and his new team on the challenges which lie ahead and in particular improving outcomes in the digital skills space and helping Australia build a strong digital future.”
Steve Baxter on Malcolm Turnbull’s appointment
“Stable government is crucial to the performance of the business economy. I’d hope that now the leadership has been settled, we can get on with building the Australian economy under consistent and focused leadership,” said Steve, the iconic Brisbane tech entrepreneur and investor.
“I believe Malcolm Turnbull is the first Australian Prime Minister with a technology background and he is also a rare example of a Prime Minister who has personally built and invested in Australian businesses.
“Malcolm Turnbull is also well placed to understand the reality that high-growth, tech companies are integral to our future economy. Many of these businesses are currently part of our start-up community.
“We need to make sure there’s few impediments to the growth and progress of these businesses and provide a consistent and attractive proposition for investors to fund these businesses.
“Mr Turnbull has talked about pursuing innovation, competing globally and ‘seizing the day’ and I certainly look forward to hearing a lot more detail from him and his team in the next few months about their plans in this area.
“I’m optimistic about seeing a coherent, detailed and strong business agenda in the next 100 days, which addresses our emerging business economy and looks well beyond the current reliance on resources and agriculture.”
