With over $6.5 million in grants to be delivered under the Business Research and Innovation Initiative (BRII), the Australian Government is inviting local digital disrupters to submit innovative digital solutions for red-tape bottlenecks.
The latest grants under the BRII will be targeting projects that will improve access to information on state and territory occupational licences, with the focus on Australian start-ups and small-to-medium enterprises.
“We are looking for digital disruptors to come up with regtech solutions to improve information sharing for occupational registrations and licences,” Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said.
“Through its reforms to the mutual recognition of occupational licences the Australian Government is making it easier for licensed workers to work across jurisdictions but we need to streamline how states and territories share information on licence registrations and conditions.”
Digital disrupters with the most successful of the proposed solutions may be eligible for a grant of up to $675,000 to develop a prototype or proof of concept that will address key regulatory requirements around information management.
Minister Assisting the Prime Minister and Cabinet Ben Morton said that with information management and sharing becoming a significant issue for government regulators, the private sector is well placed to provide solutions.
“The Government’s reforms to mutual recognition of occupational licences will add $2.4 billion to the economy over 10 years. Timely and accurate access to information is a critical part of this reform,” Minister Morton said.
“We encourage interested parties to start working on their proposal now. It’s a great opportunity for SMEs and start-ups to develop their ideas.”
Minister for Employment, Workforce, Skills, Small and Family Business Stuart Robert welcomed the BRII’s latest round of grants.
“As we secure our economic recovery, removing red tape across state and territory occupational licences will help our workforce move across the country, ensuring we can more easily realise economic opportunities, from major infrastructure projects through to our booming residential construction sector,” he said.
“Whether it is streamlining occupational licences or bringing Australia’s skills and training system into alignment, the Morrison Government is leading a national effort to secure the workforce we need to grow our economy and build a better future.”
Applications for this round of grants will close on 30 November 2021.
To date, the BRII program has provided 83 grants, totalling more than $30 million in funding.
Source: Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Media Release