Australian innovation at a crossroads as election looms

Ahead of the federal election, Australia’s leading tech academy, the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) is urging the major parties to get behind local innovation and nurture a home-grown STEM workforce capable of powering Australian innovation for the long term. 

ATSE calls on the major parties to heed the highly anticipated Strategic Examination of R&D and rise to the challenge of supercharging Australia’s innovation future. 

Our key priorities

1. Boosting Australian Innovation

ATSE’s February 2025 report Boosting Australia’s Innovation is a toolkit to government on how this can be achieved.  

The report highlights how we can:  

• achieve a target of 3% of GDP innovation investment across the sector, 

• tackle institutional reform,  

• supercharge collaboration in a changing global context, and

• successfully commercialise innovation. 

2. A STEM workforce for the future  

ATSE advocates for: 

• the importance of developing a fit-for-purpose science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skilled workforce. STEM professionals will deliver on national priorities in new energy development, AUKUS, and major infrastructure projects.  

• programs to increase under-represented groups in STEM – such as ATSE’s Elevate: Boosting Diversity in STEM scholarships – are critical pipelines for a home-grown STEM-skilled workforce. 

ATSE CEO Kylie Walker says, “We have the solutions to help the next government invigorate Australian innovation in the region, enabling future productivity growth.  

ATSE stands ready to work in partnership with state and federal governments to boost innovation and grow a dynamic and diverse STEM-skilled workforce.” 

Post-election, the independent Strategic Examination of Research & Development (SERD) will return its report to government for the 2026 budget. ATSE is calling for the SERD to deliver: 

• an uplift in government R&D investment 

• systemic changes to stimulate industry investment and research translation.

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