Have your say on innovation in NSW

By Jackie Randles

haveyoursayHow do you think the NSW Government could improve the innovation ecosystem? As part of its preparations towards an Innovation Policy, the NSW Government has launched a consultation process so that business, industry, research, not-for-profits and NSW citizens can have a say on how we can boost innovation in NSW.

Through this process, the NSW Government hopes to understand and incorporate ideas from the public and interested stakeholders to ensure that its Innovation Policy truly reflects the values and priorities of NSW. After consultation, the Innovation Policy will be developed to provide a guide as to how the NSW Government will work with the people of NSW to focus its efforts on making NSW the global innovation hotspot.

The Innovation Policy will draw together and complement existing initiatives in the innovation space, as well as identify further initiatives and programs that will continue to reinforce NSW as the nation’s home of innovation.

The consultation addresses the following themes:

  1. Open for business: positioning NSW as the Home of Innovation
  2. Disrupting Business and Government
  3. Accessing Markets and money
  4. Sharing Innovation Spaces
  5. Leveraging Data
  6. Meeting Business Demand for education and Skills
  7. Doing Business with Government
  8. Smarter Government

A future driven by innovation and science

In terms of Inspiring Australia, the national strategy for public participation in science, technology and innovation, the area that is most relevant and where we would encourage NSW stakeholders to have a say is: Meeting business demand for education and skills. This theme is about meeting the demand for future jobs.

How will tomorrow’s workforce be equipped to progress game-changing technologies like robotics, biomedicine, advanced manufacturing, aerospace, sensors, and smart connected devices? How can education better prioritise science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), problem solving, coding, design, and digital literacy skills? How can we ensure a highly skilled, flexible and connected workforce given today’s well-documented STEM shortfalls?

All of these questions are of great interest to Inspiring Australia’s many and varied stakeholders across NSW and we hope you will add your voice to this discussion.

Other questions of interest explore how we can encourage entrepreneurs to grow productivity by converting ideas into products and services, and how we can better create competition and scale businesses. And let’s not forget disruption: you can also respond to questions about how we plan to transition traditional industries that are being disrupted through automation and new entrants into the market.

Inspiring Australia encourages everyone in NSW who has an interest in these issues to get involved and add your voice to the online consultation process.

What do you think would work in your sector? What are you doing in your own community to create a more innovative culture that recognises the central role of science, technology and innovation to our lives and encourages more people into STEM careers? Can successful measures be expanded to other regions? How?

Add your voice to the public consultation on the NSW Government Innovation Policy now! You can have your say here until 15 April 2016.