Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In February this year I met with Jenny Anderson, the CEO of an information and communications technology business in my electorate of Melbourne. Jenny explained to me some of the challenges that the Australian ICT sector is facing. One of those challenges has been the recent decision of Austrade to restructure resources towards emerging markets. As the Greens spokesperson on science and research as well as industry and innovation, I am concerned that Australia's cutting-edge businesses in sectors such as ICT and biotechnology may be at risk as a result of those decisions. Examples of changes that will create difficulty for businesses like Jenny's are the elimination of information and communications technology in Austrade and the refocusing of representation to developing markets.

The honourable Craig Emerson, the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness, has advised that Austrade has placed greater emphasis on emerging markets because of the value a badge confers on governments with less open regulatory processes. I suspect this change in emphasis probably relates to mining exports and has been made at the expense of the intellectual potential of our ICT industry. The government should be supporting innovative business in Australia with a view to long-term prosperity. I am proud of the progressive industry in my electorate. I will continue to work with these businesses to identify how we can support their development.