Australia’s R&D Sector to Be Reviewed by Tesla’s Robyn Denholm

Minister for Industry and Science, Ed Husic MP, speaks during a jobs and skills summit at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Sept. 1, 2022. Martin Ollman/Getty Images

The Albanese government has appointed Robyn Denholm, Tesla’s chair and a prominent figure in the tech industry, to lead a critical review of Australia’s research and development (R&D) sector.

Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic announced on Dec. 2 that Denholm, alongside a panel of three distinguished figures from science and business, will assess Australia’s innovation performance.

“Responsible governments think ahead. They think about how economies will look. They think about how jobs will be created... R and D investment is one of those things that drives future economic strength,” he said.

Objective to Boost Innovation

Currently, Australia’s research and development sector contributes 1.68 percent to GDP, which is below the OECD average of 2.73 percent.

Denholm said she would draw on her “experience across the global and Australian business sectors” to inform the review and deliver a framework that supports innovation.

“While we excel at producing world-class research, it is now imperative to focus on development and commercialisation to realise the full impact of our efforts,” Denholm said.

“My objective for this review is to unlock the immense potential of Australian research by turning it into tangible outcomes that deliver both economic and societal benefits.”

Husic warned Australia’s research and development performance had fallen over the past decade, calling for a solution that will “deliver more firepower from our boardrooms and labs so we can compete with the best in the world.”

“That is a big challenge, but Australian know-how can help us do things smarter and sharpen our edge against international competition,” Husic said.

Tensions with Musk Amid Review

The announcement comes amid tensions between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Tesla CEO Elon Musk after the Australian Parliament passed the controversial world-first ban on teenagers under 16 accessing social media, with support from the Coalition.

Albanese dismissed Musk’s criticism of the ban, saying it was “totalitarian” and a “backdoor attempt to control internet access.”

“With regard to Elon Musk, he has an agenda. He’s entitled to push that,” Albanese told ABC.

The prime minister said he would “engage” with Musk on the age limit but his government was “determined to get this done.”

Musk is a strong supporter and close ally of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump. He has been appointed to lead the Department of Government Efficiency in the new administration.

Early this year, Albanese called Musk an “arrogant billionaire” after X refused to remove graphic footage showing the alleged stabbing of a western Sydney bishop, sparking a legal challenge from Australia’s eSafety commissioner.

Musk also previously branded the Labor government “fascists” over its failed bid to fine tech companies for misinformation and disinformation on their platforms.