We’re back for 2023 and our 5th season, and what a start – Danelle and Brodie interview the Minister for Innovation and the Digital Economy, Hon Stephen Dawson MLC.

Growing up in Ireland, the eldest of four children, he moved to Australia in his teens with his family, and became involved in student politics. His father had been active in trade unions. Starting out as a drama teacher, Stephen Dawson became a Labor member of the upper house of Western Australian government in 2013 becoming a cabinet minister in 2017, and Innovation Minister in 2021.

Minister Dawson explains his hopes for the local innovation ecosystem, and what it needs now.

“The ideas are here. The expertise is here now as well. We’re growing it locally and we’re bringing it in from overseas. But money, if we had more money here we could do so much more quicker. Part of that’s my role, and we’ll have some announcements over the next 12 months – hopefully the next budget will be good to us – but certainly working with people in Perth who have got money, convincing them how good an investment this will be, is important.” ~ Minister Stephen Dawson

For more: https://www.wa.gov.au/nif

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Startup West is recorded at Riff studios in beautiful downtown Perth, Western Australia; produced by Startup News, edited by Carmen Yee Kai Wen and brought to you thanks to support from Spacecubed, Curtin University, RSM, the City of Perth, Dinner Twist and Tekkon.

Startup West acknowledges the Whadjuk Nyoongar people, traditional owners of the lands and waters of Perth, where this podcast was recorded, and pays respects to Elders past, present and emerging.