Australia establishes National Quantum Advisory Committee

The Minister for Industry and Science, Ed Husic MP, has announced the National Quantum Advisory Committee that will help drive Australia’s National Quantum Strategy. The 15-person committee, chaired by Australia’s Chief Scientist Dr Cathy Foley AO, will be an integral part of the push to coordinate Australia’s quantum capability across research, industry and government. Husic also said that the strategy will be delivered by the end of the year.

CSIRO estimates that quantum technology in Australia could be a $4 billion industry in computing, communications and sensing, creating 16,000 jobs by 2040. Husic said that the federal government will deliver Australia’s first National Quantum Strategy, bringing together expertise in research, commercialisation and use of quantum technologies to chart Australia’s future. “Australia is a recognised global leader in quantum technology and research. We cannot afford to let that competitive advantage slip. The $1 billion critical technologies fund, part of the National Reconstruction Fund, will also be available to support quantum industries. We need to ensure we embed quantum capability and value here in Australia. As Minister, it is not my job to say what can’t be done, but to drive ambition for what we can achieve together in quantum technology,” Husic said.

The advisory committee includes Professor Michael Biercuk (Q-CTRL, University of Sydney); Clare Birch (Blackbird); Dr Simon Devitt (UTS, h-Bar); Professor Bronwyn Fox (CSIRO Chief Scientist); Professor Lloyd Hollenberg (University of Melbourne IBM Quantum Hub); Professor Andre Luiten (QuantX Labs, University of Adelaide); Professor Tanya Monro (Australia’s Chief Defence Scientist); Professor Ed Santow (Human Technology Institute, UTS); Dr Vikram Sharma (Australian Quantum Alliance); Professor Michelle Simmons (Silicon Quantum Computing, NSW); Mark Stickells (Pawsey Supercomputing Centre); Professor Peter Turner (Sydney Quantum Computing, UNSW); Jennifer Westacott (Business Council of Australia); and Professor Andrew White (University of Queensland and ARC Centre for Engineered Quantum Systems).

Image credit: iStock.com/Andrey Suslov