Future Brisbane: Innovation holds the key to a bright future for Queensland

IN A time of unprecedented change, the need for innovation has never been greater. Thankfully, Queensland is at the forefront of some exciting new ways of thinking.

INNOVATION is really practical – it’s about Queenslanders solving real problems and creating new opportunities.

We innovate almost every day because innovation, in reality, is just the way we move our ideas into action.

We innovate in our households when we want to save money, make things easier or save time.

We innovate in our workplaces when we face challenges or problems and seek new ways to address and solve them.

And we innovate in our sports and cultural activities when we look to create new and exciting ways to enhance activities.

Innovation is not new. What is new, however, is the laser sharp focus we need on the application of innovation at this time in our history.

We are experiencing unprecedented change in our world.

Given the pace of this change, there is a small window of time to set the right conditions to ensure we get our fair share of the new industries and the new jobs they bring.

If we fail to grasp this opportunity, our children will be relegated to simply being the consumers of goods and services delivered in the new economy.

That is why the Palaszczuk Government is driving a future-focused agenda through its $420 million whole-of-government Advance Queensland initiative.

Advance Queensland is establishing a solid foundation for the Palaszczuk Government’s long-term vision of diversifying our economy and investing in our innovators as they build more jobs of the future.

These projects not only have economic benefits, they are also making life better for Queenslanders.

Brad Parsons and his team at Movus have developed sensors that can automatically track the performance of machinery like pumps and turbines, alerting maintenance staff if anything goes wrong. Picture: Adam Head

This funding is for projects that transform lives – such as tackling cancer and heart disease – and help make our industries stronger, such as more-efficient sugar mills and improving access to bauxite reserves.

We are funding vital new research to deliver greater insight into the health of our iconic Great Barrier Reef.

And we are preparing our kids for the future – increasing numbers studying critical subjects in maths and science, as well as opening up the possibility of starting their own business.

Innovation is happening all over the state. I have been constantly impressed with the quality of new ideas, especially from regional Queensland.

In sectors such as mining and agriculture, we are seeing advancements in drone technology and robotics that are helping to capture valuable data or carry out high risk tasks in safer and quicker ways.

When you consider global population growth estimates over the next 20 years, greater efficiency in agriculture – a sector in which Queensland already has a massive competitive advantage – will not just be an economic imperative, but also a humanitarian one.

The kinds of investments we are making in AgTech have the potential to deliver Queensland farmers greater crop yields through the use of big data and innovative farming techniques.

Advance Queensland funding is supporting innovations in our avocado industry to enable farmers to grow pest- and climate-resistant crops, helping to increase crop yield and driving exports.

We’re building on o.ur success by mixing technology in traditional industries with the talent of our people

Farmer Hugh Reardon and engineer Matt Burey came together to develop a new software platform called Apunga that provides horticultural growers with simple tools for business planning and resource allocation while digitally recording the day-to-day operations of the farm. This improves the farming businesses and makes farmers more competitive. They are exploring global markets for their software.

Brad Parsons and his team at Movus have developed sensors that can automatically track the performance of machinery like pumps and turbines, alerting maintenance staff if anything goes wrong. This technology will extend the life of machines, saving money and improving sustainability. And interns from UQ are working in Movus, training them to be the next generation of innovators.

Cairns couple Margaret and Peter Powell developed a new type of anchor, Catch’n’Release, for use on the Great Barrier Reef. Their design is good for boaties and the planet – it allows an anchor caught on the reef to be safely and easily released.

While everyone might be talking about innovation, in Queensland this government is supporting great ideas and helping turn those ideas into action to help position our state for a bright and prosperous future.