Australian Information Industry Association White Paper Calls for National Quantum Strategy for Australia

(ZDNet) The Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) is concerned the federal government has not placed enough resources into commercialising the local quantum computing scene, calling it a “sad indictment that Australia doesn’t have a national quantum strategy”.
In a white paper [PDF], titled Growing Globally Competitive Industries: Powered by Australia’s innovation technology, the industry body made two recommendations in the area of quantum computing, which are for:
1) government to implement a national quantum technology strategy;
2) create a national quantum computing centre.

In recommending a national strategy, the AIIA said any strategy that is made should translate to further investment, specifically in the commercialisation of quantum. The white paper said government investment towards commercialising quantum computing initiatives has been fragmented.
Explaining this “fragmentation” in Australia’s quantum scene, the white paper says the various local quantum technology roadmaps and reports that have been released in the past year all have various aims and recommendations, which “highlights the local fragmentation and the need for focus”.
The white paper added that investment amounts for commercialisation in Australia have been much less when compared to other western countries like Canada, the US, and the UK. The UK has so far invested over £1 billion in combined investment. By comparison, Australia’s cumulative investment since the start of the century is around AU$500 million, according to an Australian Strategy Policy Institute report published four months ago.