ACS calls for 200 percent R&D tax concessions

Stephen Withers
Friday, 13 June 2008 09:47

IT Industry - Market

Other recommendations made in the ACS's submission include the recognition of ICT as a priority area in its own right (previous governments have viewed ICT largely as an enabler for other industries rather than as an industry in its own right), improved government purchasing practices (eg, not requiring the transfer of intellectual property rights when work is commissioned or funded by government agencies when a non-exclusive licence would suffice), and the benchmarking of the Australian innovation system against countries with a strong international ICT presence.

"Compared to other OECD countries, Australia has not been successful at commercialising and marketing its ICT innovations at the national or international level," said ACS president Kumar Parakala.

"We need to look at other small countries like Finland, Sweden, Singapore, Switzerland and Malaysia who have established a strong ICT presence in the global market and use this as a point of reference on which to model our future ICT innovation directions here in Australia."