Quantum leap into future of industry

Australia’s new quantum strategy will focus on securing access to essential infrastructure and materials, expanding the skilled workforce and accelerating the uptake of quantum technologies.

Industry Minister Ed Husic. Picture: Getty Images

Australia’s new quantum strategy – to be unveiled by the Albanese government within weeks – will focus on securing access to essential infrastructure and materials, expanding the skilled workforce and accelerating the uptake of quantum technologies across industry.

The Australian can reveal the strategy, which will incentivise quantum research and development, is aimed at seizing on the commercial benefits of the rapidly emerging capabilities offered by quantum technologies.

Speaking at the Quantum Australia conference in Sydney on Wednesday, Industry Minister Ed Husic will outline the federal government’s priorities under the national strategy, developed by a 15-person advisory committee led by Chief Scientist Cathy Foley.

Mr Husic last week warned the Coalition that blocking the $15bn National Reconstruction Fund would put at risk investment in quantum and critical technologies, key planks of the AUKUS security agreement and Quad security dialogue. The government has reserved $1bn in the NRF for quantum and critical technologies.

“We are determined that the national quantum strategy be the beginning of a conversation, not a punctuation mark before moving on to the next thing. It should set a vision and principles to shape Australia’s leadership that can be built on for years to come,” he will say.

“The Australian government believes in this opportunity for Australia. It is important for both our national security and economic prosperity. We believe in our quantum ecosystem and its role in Australia’s future prosperity.

“Australia has long had an outsize impact on quantum research, and people who have had their training in quantum in Australia are now in leadership roles in research, industry and government here and around the world. When it comes to quantum technology, we should have the ambition to be a big player, not a bit player.”

The CSIRO has conservatively estimated an Australian quantum technology industry could be worth $4bn in computing, communications and sensing and create 16,000 jobs by 2040.

Mr Husic on Tuesday met with US National Science Foundation director Sethuraman Panchanathan, a renowned computer scientist who leads the Biden administration’s $9.5bn peak federal agency charged with scientific discovery and technological innovation.

The Australian understands Mr Husic also met with other senior science heads from key allies this week to discuss partnerships with Australia in advancing research into quantum, artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.

Western nations are working together to offset China’s dominance and strategic advantage in quantum, AI and critical minerals.

Security officials have warned that China’s rapid advancement in quantum technologies will allow foreign powers to crack the most complex encryption codes, harvest data and make some defence hardware redundant.