The Australian Government's Innovation Report

REDI grants range from $50 000 up to a limit of $5 million and projects must be completed within three years.
Customers can apply for funding to meet up to half the cost of eligible expenditure incurred in carrying out a
REDI project. Grants must be matched by a customer on at least a dollar-for dollar basis over
the life of the project.
REDI is delivered by AusIndustry, the business programme delivery division of the
Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources, with joint policy responsibility being
held by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources and the Department of
the Environment and Heritage.
Wind turbine
Photo credits: DITR
To December 2006, REDI considered 16 applications under Round 2 and six applicants
were offered grant funding of $10.5 million. Under REDI Round 3, 14 applications were
considered and eight were offered grant funding of $13.3 million. As the programme has
moved away from a ‘rounds’ approach to more frequent assessments, further applications
are expected to be received and assessed - and grants offered - in 2006 – 07.
More information about the REDI can be found at: www.industry.gov.au
Innovation Access Programme – Industry
The Innovation Access Programme – Industry (IAccP – Industry) was designed to foster innovation and
competitiveness and to increase the take-up of leading-edge technologies and best practice processes by Australian
firms, particularly small to medium-sized enterprises. Funding for the programme concluded on 30 June 2006.
IAccP-Industry comprised a competitive grants programme with four strategic elements:
• support for technology showcasing;
• Innovation Access Fora which supported activities to promote Australian access to global, leading-edge
research and technologies and facilitate their take-up by Australian industry;
• a technology advisory service – Industry TechLink; and
• support for the Intelligent Manufacturing Systems Programme.
As part of Backing Australia’s Ability – Building Our Future through Science and Innovation, changes were made in
May 2004 to support for innovation access and transfer activities. Some elements of IAccP – Industry were
included in the new Commercial Ready programme and other elements were incorporated into the Industry
Cooperative Innovation Programme. Activities in 2005-06 included:
• Innovation Access Fora projects were held in support of the Industry Action Agendas in the restaurant
and catering, science, facilities management and electronics industries. These projects progressed Action
Agenda recommendations related to the uptake of innovative technology.
• Support was provided for the automotive industry’s attendance at the World Exposition 2005 in Aichi,
Japan. The project assisted Australian companies to identify research and technologies to be transferred
to Australia and helped Australian companies to form strategic partnerships.
• Industry TechLink provided a free single point of contact with respect to technology advice for small and
medium enterprises across Australia, operating from February 2003 to end June 2006. A review indicated
that 5873 enquiries were received from 3750 small to medium-sized enterprises over the life of
TechLink. The major technology area of demand amongst small to medium-sized enterprises was ICT with
over half the enquiries relating to computer, IT and web advice.
• The Intelligent Manufacturing Systems Programme was an industry-led, international collaboration
programme undertaking pre competitive R&D into the next generation of advanced manufacturing
technologies and processes. A number of firms, CRCs and public sector research agencies are engaged in
nine projects with partners from the EU, Switzerland, US, Canada, Korea and Japan. Australian
membership of the programme ceased in June 2006.
More information about the IACCP – Industry can be found at: www.au.ims.org; and
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Chapter 2 - Initiatives for a dynamic national innovation system 67