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| AusIndustry | |
|---|---|
| Name | AusIndustry |
| Type | Australian Government program delivery branch |
| Formed | 1994 |
| Jurisdiction | Australia |
| Parent agency | Department of Industry, Science and Resources |
| Headquarters | Canberra |
AusIndustry is an Australian government delivery arm within the Department of Industry, Science and Resources responsible for administering business support, industry incentives, and innovation programs. It acts as an interface between federal policy instruments such as the Research and Development Tax Incentive, the Entrepreneurs' Programme, and targeted grants, supporting firms across sectors including mining, manufacturing, agtech, and defence industry. AusIndustry liaises with agencies like the Australian Trade and Investment Commission, the National Innovation and Science Agenda, and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.
AusIndustry delivers programs that aim to stimulate investment, promote innovation diffusion, and grow export capability across Australian firms, regional enterprises, and research organisations such as the University of Melbourne, the University of Sydney, and the Australian National University. Its operational remit connects federal policy instruments like the R&D Tax Incentive and the Industry Growth Centres with delivery partners including the Austrade network, state agencies such as Business NSW and Victorian Government, and industry bodies like the Manufacturing Australia council and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Strategic alignment occurs with initiatives from the National Innovation and Science Agenda, the Cooperative Research Centres Programme, and coordination with funding instruments linked to the Australian Research Council and the National Health and Medical Research Council.
Established in the 1990s during portfolio reorganisations under ministers such as John Howard and Peter Cook, AusIndustry evolved from earlier programs administered by the Department of Industry, Science and Tourism and the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science. Major milestones include the rollout of the Research and Development Tax Incentive reform, the introduction of the Entrepreneurs' Programme under ministers like Christopher Pyne and Arthur Sinodinos, and collaboration with the Cooperative Research Centres network. AusIndustry’s history intersects with national economic events such as the Global Financial Crisis of 2007–2008, the National Innovation and Science Agenda launch, and responses to sectoral shocks including the COVID‑19 pandemic in Australia.
AusIndustry delivers—and administers—programs such as the R&D Tax Incentive, the Entrepreneurs' Programme, the Business Research and Innovation Initiative, and the Industry Growth Centres strategy. Delivery mechanisms include grant administration, tax offset facilitation, innovation vouchers, and capability development offered in partnership with intermediaries like the CSL Limited‑partnered projects, the Defense Innovation Hub, and the Manufacturing Modernisation Fund. Service touchpoints extend to portals used by applicants such as the departmental client portal and coordination with advisory organisations like the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman and incubators associated with the StartupAUS network.
Funding streams administered involve competitive grants, collaborative research funding, and tax incentives tied to instruments like the Australian Research Council schemes and the Cooperative Research Centres grants. Major grant programs have included targeted packages for sectors such as agriculture through the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry linkages, the Renewable Energy Target related initiatives, and defence procurement-linked grants coordinated with the Department of Defence and the Defence Innovation Hub. Funding processes interface with statutory frameworks such as the Commonwealth Grants Rules and Guidelines and auditing by the Australian National Audit Office.
Partnerships span multinational firms like BHP, Rio Tinto, and Commonwealth Bank of Australia as well as SMEs supported through networks such as the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia and the Australian Industry Group. Collaboration occurs with research bodies including the CSIRO, university technology transfer offices at the University of Queensland and Monash University, and industry peak bodies like AusBiotech and Invest Victoria. Joint initiatives have included supply‑chain development with the Defence Strategic Review recommendations, export facilitation with Austrade, and cluster development aligned to the Industry Growth Centres across sectors such as medical technologies and pharmaceuticals.
AusIndustry operates within the portfolio of the Minister for Industry and Science and reports through the Department of Industry, Science and Resources executive structure to the Prime Minister of Australia. Administrative oversight follows public sector frameworks including the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 and scrutiny by parliamentary committees such as the Senate Economics References Committee. Program evaluation and compliance are monitored through instruments managed by the Australian Taxation Office for tax offsets and audited by the Australian National Audit Office, with policy advice coordinated alongside Treasury and portfolio ministers.
Proponents attribute to AusIndustry contributions to innovation diffusion, firm productivity growth, and increased export readiness, citing collaborations with the CSIRO, growth outcomes for recipients linked to Entrepreneurs' Programme assistance, and uptake of the R&D Tax Incentive among SMEs. Critics note issues raised by the Productivity Commission, analysis from the Grattan Institute, and parliamentary inquiries concerning targeting efficiency, compliance complexity with the R&D Tax Incentive and potential deadweight costs. Debates have referenced reform proposals appearing in reports by the Australian National Audit Office and submissions to the Senate Economics References Committee, and comparisons to international counterparts such as Innovate UK and the Small Business Administration (United States).
Category:Australian Commonwealth agencies