When you say the word “innovation” out loud – you usually receive two reactions, depending on your audience. For some, the word can suddenly lead to a blank response, which is desperately trying to avoid an impending, offending eye roll.
They’d found that forming the kinds of agricultural societies practised by European settlers around the world just wasn’t the right strategy for the hard, arid conditions in Australia. More recently, the end of car production in Australia has forced governments and businesses to address how to transform our industries., which has been developed entirely in Australia, thanks to some incredible work by engineers at BAE Systems Australia.
There’s no doubt the pencil is an innovative way to fix an immediate problem, but the research and development of NASA”s space pen no doubt led to other innovative ideas. On the world stage, we are renowned for our research, but we sadly fall down when it comes to developing the product for market.But when it came to translating that research into commercial outcomes, we ranked a lowly 76th.Before he was appointed the chair of the government’s Innovation and Science Agenda Board, Bill Ferris bluntly declared “Australia has internationally competitive R, and bugger-all D”.
AhronYoung We are innovative country but constrained by lack of ambition,market size and short term thinking.
AhronYoung Notice how govt & the tax office view innovation? Govt is no help, tax says “that’s good, now pay us in advance for next year”. South Korea years ago told companies invent & expand “how much do you need?” Now Samsung, Hyundai etc world leaders. Oz companies
AhronYoung This was long time coming
AhronYoung It was systematically removed. Last nail in the coffin will be excessive electricity costs.
AhronYoung We have the resources to make almost Everything , we use to and it was good; 'MadeInAustralia ' meant quality.
AhronYoung We don't fall flat at all, our ability to do just that was taken away from us when almost everything was taken off shore to be produced! What's the point of innovation, if it's made elsewhere.
AhronYoung In Australia we heroise sports people when it should be engineers and scientists. Some influential commentators, including politicians, even demonise some for example climate scientists.