Federal Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic has been confirmed to deliver the keynote address at the 2022 InnovationAus Awards for Excellence.
Mr Husic is long-time supporter of the broad innovation ecosystem in Australia, from the time he entered Parliament in 2010 as the Member for Chifley in western Sydney. He was a junior minister holding the digital economy portfolio in the Rudd-Gillard government.
He has been especially well-known to the local startup community – from entrepreneurs to VCs and deep tech commercial researchers – through much of Labor’s years in Opposition, but broadened his engagement with industry when he was appointed shadow minister for industry and innovation in January 2021.
After the election of the Albanese government in May, Mr Husic was rewarded with a Cabinet position and the added responsibilities of the Science portfolio.
The 2022 edition of the InnovationAus Awards for Excellence will be held on November 17 as a black-tie gala dinner, held at the Cutaway venue at Barangaroo in Sydney. You can reserve your seat – or book a table – for this event here.
Since being sworn in as Australia’s first Muslim Cabinet minister at the start of June, Mr Husic has been focused on the background toil of implementing frameworks for signature policies that he championed while in opposition – specifically the National Reconstruction Fund, the Buy Australian Plan and related reforms to federal procurement.
He has also been engaged in the formation of the Future Made in Australia Office – all policies specifically designed to build Australian industrial capacity.
“It is not a surprise to anyone in our industry that Minister Husic is known as ‘the most impatient man in politics’,” InnovationAus.com publisher Corrie McLeod said. “In Opposition he has been well known as a tireless advocate for all parts of the tech and innovation ecosystem.”
“And now that he is in government, Mr Husic has wasted no time putting his stamp on the Industry portfolio, and in providing thoughtful, engaged leadership in bridging the complimentary portfolios of Industry and Science,” Ms McLeod said.
“The InnovationAus Awards for Excellence are designed to put a spotlight on Australia’s outstanding entrepreneurs and innovators. It is a great, rewarding night of recognition for the people creating new products and services, building companies and creating jobs.
“It’s an honour to have the minister at the event, and to deliver his keynote address at a time of great change in Australian industry.”
The InnovationAus Awards for Excellence celebrate the product successes of local innovators across 11 categories, from HealthTech to Advanced Manufacturing, from software to Defence capability.
The top award of the night – called the Australian Hero Award – recognises the individual and the company that has made an outstanding contribution to Australian capability development.
The 2022 edition of the InnovationAus Awards for Excellence will be held on November 17 as a black-tie gala dinner, held at the Cutaway venue at Barangaroo in Sydney. You can reserve your seat – or book a table – for this event here.
The InnovationAus 2022 Awards for Excellence are supported by: Investment NSW, AusIndustry, Australian Computer Society, Technology Council of Australia, Verizon, Mimecast, Microsoft Australia, Digital Health CRC (DHCRC), Agile Digital, METS Ignited, Innovation Manufacturing CRC (IMCRC) CSIRO, and Q-CTRL.
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