This year included substantial numbers of events and attendees in every State and Territory. There were 14 associated festivals including the Desert Knowledge Cross Border festival and extensive non-metropolitan participation supported by local communities, broadcasters and country media.
Australian Capital Territory
The ACT festival program featured 20 events, with ICAN – Canberra’s ideas and innovation festival - the signature program in the nation’s capital. The Hon. Jon Stanhope, Chief Minister, ACT Government indicated, “Festivals like this one are essential links in the nation’s innovation chain. They help put “ideas people” in touch with the people who have the skills, and resources, to turn their ideas into new products – products which we may one day take for granted”.
Selected events for ICAN 2006 included Canberra’s Growth Business with David Koch; Australian Institute of Management’s ‘For Corporate Survival – Innovation is not Optional”; Creating a Centenary of Innovation at Old Parliament House; and Mastering the Creative Habit with Epicorp.
New South Wales
New South Wales featured 95 events with associated festivals in Illawarra, Narrabri and Wagga Wagga, being major focuses of the state program. The New South Wales Premier, the Hon. Morris Iemma commented, “the Australian Innovation Festival is a great idea because innovation and productivity are profoundly important to Australia’s economic success”.
Major events featured this year included the University of Newcastle’s 360 Degrees of Innovation program in building competitive advantage for increased profits; Trans Tasman Business Circle’s Emerging Leaders series program; the Illawarra Showcase event on Innovative Business Solutions for efficient use of energy and resources; Ironfest in Lithgow celebrating current and traditional uses of iron and steel; and the annual Mercedes Australian Fashion Week.
Northern Territory
There was an extensive festival program with 27 events in the Territory including two associated festivals: the Alice Springs Innovation Festival and The Desert Knowledge Cross Border Festival. The Hon. Clare Martin, Northern Territory Chief Minister commented that “the sheer size of the Northern Territory combined with our geographically dispersed population means we have to go about our business in smarter and more innovative ways. We’ve learnt to live and work in desert and tropical environments and the result has been a valuable reservoir of knowledge.”
Selected events this year include the Desert SMART Gardens open day in Alice Springs; the DKA Cross Border network link up; the 2B Pencil opening; the Indigenous Enterprise and Training Product launch; and Charles Darwin University’s Prepare for Impact symposium series.
Queensland
The Queensland program included 74 events across the State from Cairns to the Gold Coast and from Bundaberg to Brisbane. The Premier, the Hon. Peter Beattie expressed the view that “If we don’t innovate we stagnate. The Government’s vision is of a state where knowledge, creativity and innovation drive economic growth to improve prosperity and quality of life for all Queenslanders”.
There are two associated festivals in Queensland including the SKI (Science, Knowledge and Innovation) Cairns and the Gold Coast Innovation Festival. Selected events included the World IP Day showcase with IP Australia and AIC; Gourmet Experience and Science on Saturday on the Gold Coast; Speed Consulting for Innovative Entrepreneurs in Mt Isa; and Brisbane events including Corporate Sustainability at University of Queensland, Fresh Innovators and a Robotics Presentation with Engineers Australia.
South Australia
South Australia this year featured 54 events with a major focus being the Limestone Coast Innovation Festival, which incorporates the towns of Elizabeth, Naracoorte, Mount Gambier, Kingston and Mundulla. The Premier, the Hon. Mike Rann commented, “In South Australia, we aim to make innovation central to everything we do, because our future as a competitive economy and a strong community is in applying higher and higher levels of knowledge and skill to economic development.”
Selected events occurring as part of the South Australian Festival program included the Tall Poppy Innovation Festival Debate; AuSAE 2006 national conference; Innovation in Land and Water as part of the Limestone Coast program; ASMR Rural Schools Week; the Playford Capital Breakfast Seminar; and CSIRO’s Innovation and Preventative Health – an Economic Imperative seminar.
Tasmania
The Tasmanian program included 23 events throughout the Island State, from Burnie, Devonport and Launceston in the north to Hobart in the South. The Hon. Paul Lennon, Premier of Tasmania, commented, “There’s something special about islands. What we lack in size, we make up for with energy, enthusiasm and a new sense of can-do confidence in our ability to compete with the world’s best. We’ve learnt that island isolation gives us advantages that other communities can only dream of. Check Tasmania out and see what we have to offer.”
A major highlight each year is AGFEST, one of the largest agricultural and rural technology festivals in Australia. Other selected events included “Beetling about the bush” by Forestry Tasmania; Beneath the Surface forum by Arts Tasmania; and a major medical imaging conference by the Australian Institute of Radiography.
Victoria
The Victorian program featured 136 events, which covered all aspects of innovation with substantial programs in metropolitan, country and regional areas. In support, the Victorian Premier, the Hon. Steve Bracks indicated, “We live in a world where innovation is recognised as an important driver of economic growth. A world where creative and innovative ideas can translate into economic, social and environmental benefits for our communities. That is why events such as the Australian Innovation Festival are welcome on the innovation agenda.”
Selected events occurring as part of the Victorian Festival program included the ATSE Clunies Ross Awards; the Geelong Biotechnology Excellence event by the BioMelbourne Network; the 2006 next Big Thing Awards by INNOVIC; the former Prime Minister the Hon. Paul Keating address in Ballarat; the Leadership Mystique forum at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre; ENVIRO 2006; Gippsland Business Awards; and the AGIdeas Advantage business event.
This year, there were four associated innovation festivals; the Gippsland Innovation Festival, the Ballarat Innovation Festival, Monash University Innovation Festival and AGIdeas in Melbourne
Western Australia
The WA program included 89 events throughout the State, from Broome, Geraldton, Margaret River, Albany and Fremantle to the inner and outer suburbs of Perth. The Premier, the Hon. Alan Carpenter commented, “The Western Australian Government recognises the important role that innovation can play in expanding the State’s economic base. Activities such as the Australian Innovation Festival complement Western Australia’s innovative initiatives.”
As well as two associated innovation festivals (North West Expo in Broome and the Designedge Festival) selected events included the Creative Women in Regional and Isolated Australia event in Belmont; The Problem with Science forum with the University of WA; Innovating for Change with 8M Media and Communications; No Sour Grapes with the WA Department of Agriculture and Food; and the Commercialisation Boot Camp with AIC in Perth.