Labor appoints Tesla chair Robyn Denholm to lead innovation review
Robyn Denholm’s appointment to lead a once-in-a-generation innovation review came just hours after Anthony Albanese said Elon Musk had an agenda against his social media laws.
The chairwoman of tech titan Elon Musk’s electric car and robotics empire will lead a once-in-a-generation review of scientific research for Labor, despite an escalating war of words between her boss and Anthony Albanese.
One of the nation’s most powerful businesswomen, Tesla chair Robyn Denholm, has been appointed by Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic to take the helm of a major review into Australia’s research and development sector.
The strategic review will see Ms Denholm and a panel of three prominent scientific and business leaders examine the nation’s innovation output, amid concerns Australia has fallen behind its competitors at a cost to the economy.
The nation’s research and development sector accounts for 1.68 per cent of GDP, below the OECD average of 2.73 per cent.
Ms Denholm’s appointment came just hours after Anthony Albanese said Mr Musk – the owner of Tesla, social media platform X, and the world’s richest man – had an agenda and dismissed the tech billionaire’s criticism that his government’s social media age ban was “totalitarian” and a “backdoor way to control access to the internet”.
The Prime Minister rammed the bulk of his legislative agenda through the Senate in a single night last week, including the world-first ban on teenagers aged under 16 accessing social media with the support of the Coalition.
“With regard to Elon Musk, he has an agenda. He’s entitled to push that,” Mr Albanese told ABC’s Insiders.
Mr Albanese said he would “engage” with Mr Musk on the age limit but his government was “determined to get this done”.
Mr Musk, a vocal supporter and close confidant of US president-elect Donald Trump and will lead the Department of Government Efficiency in the new administration. His appointment poses a political obstacle for Mr Albanese as he seeks to strengthen ties with the incoming Trump White House, due to his history of heated exchanges with Mr Musk.
In April, Mr Albanese called Mr 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 the eSafety commissioner. Mr Musk has previously branded the Labor government “fascists” over its failed bid to fine tech companies for misinformation and disinformation on their platforms.
The Albanese government has pointed to Ms Denholm’s experience leading some of the most innovative companies in the world as driving her appointment.
Ms 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,” Ms 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.”
Mr 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 sharpening our edge against international competition,” Mr Husic said.
Former Australian of the Year and eminent burns expert, Fiona Wood, who pioneered spray on skin Recell, one-time Australia National University vice chancellor and chief scientist Ian Chubb and the head of Victorian government’s startup agency LaunchVic, Kate Cornick were also appointed to the panel.
Emeritus Professor Chubb said a co-ordinated science strategy was central to “Australia’s prosperity and security”.
“In a world where nations are racing to innovate, Australia must take bold steps to maintain and extend its leadership in critical areas,” he said.
“This examination will help us identify where we can make the greatest impact and how we can position ourselves as a global leader in science and innovation.“
The proportion of research and development investment in GDP increased was on the rise until 2009, when it fell from 1.37 per cent to 0.88 per cent in 2022.
The panel will report its findings by the end of next year.
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