Colloquiums And Roundtables

As an independent organisation, the Pearcey Institute hosts colloquiums and roundtables of national importance around ICT and Australia's digital future.

2018 Pearcey Day

Tuesday 28 August 2018, Monash Law Chambers, 555 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

Panel Discussion -The Fourth Industrial Revolution -Does Australia get it?

Recent research by Deloitte Global found that Australian business leaders are the least confident in the world about successfully stewarding their businesses through the era known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0). The same research also revealed those leaders are the most confident of their current workforce ability to adapt to Industry 4.0. How do we reconcile these and other research findings and what do they reveal about Australian leadership in the post-industrial age?

Moderator: Sandy Plunkett Pearcey National Committee. Journalist, author and industry commentator

  • Dr Charlie Day - CEO, Innovation & Science Australia
  • Paul Shetler - Digital Transformation practitioner
  • Kerri Lee Sinclair - Chief Investment Officer, Kin Group
  • Martine Letts - CEO, Committee for Melbourne

During the 90 minute, wide ranging, panel discussion, one of the topics was whether we were too reliant (as a "sector") on government solutions.

  • The press often reduce complex interrelationships into something simple like "stop lobbying government" on key issues such as R&D and government procurement.
  • People in the industry are frustrated with the government frequently changing grants, the R&D Tax program, skills and visa rules, and policy towards procurement from emerging technology companies. Arguably, there is far too much policy knee jerking and flip flopping, and far too many Canberra bureaucrats who seem to be isolated from the real world.
  • More generally, there is a mix or "balance" of priorities. At some point, the private sector has got to shoulder the bulk of its own action and progress.  But healthy innovation systems or market-driven systems are never just about free-marketeering or state-driven controls/regulation. Almost always more about a mix of both. Israel/India/Germany are some very good current (ie last 10 years alone) examples.


Related press - Less lobbying, more action.

2017 A3.0 Roundtable


"Lucky Country Disrupted" as part of the 2017 Vic Gov Digital Innovation Festival (DIF). A Deep Dive Panel Discussion Mon Aug 28, 2017 held at Hub Melbourne

Please see - 2017 A3.0 RoundTable

Thanks to the Victorian Government's Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR) for their financial support of this Pearcey Institute initiative. A video recording of this 90 minute session will shortly be available on this website.

2015 Australia 3.0 Forum


On Monday 16 November, a lively Australia 3.0 forum took place at Data61/NICTA's HQ in Eveleigh. The topic entitled "The Lucky Country Disrupted" was a play on Donald Horne's 1964 book "The Lucky Country" suggesting that Australia's days of riding a wave may be nearly over. For details, please see A3.0 Forum - The Lucky Country Disrupted.

2014 Australia 3.0 Forum

As part of iAwards 2014, Thursday and Friday (28/29 August), Australia 3.0, a multi stream national digital innovation summit covering the innovative use of technology in improving our nation's competitiveness. The four verticals supported by the major industry bodies were:

  • Infrastructure - Tackling real problems using data to help resolve burning issues in transport and other infrastructure, how we better run our cities and to help us invent the services of the future;
  • Health - what happens if the patient is in charge? Inspiring innovative stakeholders to develop a Health Innovation Hub that can create sustainable new ways in delivering healthcare;
  • Government Services - Identifying sustainable new approaches to public service innovation through a Government Services Innovation Hub connecting digital, data and democracy;
  • Mining - Recognising new approaches to improving mining productivity and sustainability outcomes post the recent 'mining boom';

2013 Australia 3.0 Forum


Outcomes agreed as part of the 2013 iAwards program held on Thursday 8th August 2013 ACS, AIIA and the Pearcey Foundation conducted a full day program on four key areas of interest all focussed on lifting national productivity through innovative application of technology in four streams: Mining, Health, Government Services and Infrastructure Full details on the discussions leading up to the day's program and the conclusions and actions drawn on the day are shown on the Australia 3.0 website: australia30.com.au

2012 Australia 3.0 Forum


As part of the 2012 iAwards program, the Pearcey Foundation organised a debate on national productivity and how it might be improved through innovative applications of ICT. The debate was focused on four vertical areas of Mining & Resources, Manufacturing, Agriculture, Services.

For full details, see 2012 News.

2011 Australia 3.0 Forum

During the day of Thursday 4 August, an Australia 3.0 Forum was held to discuss the Digital Economy and the Impact of ICT on Innovation and Productivity.

2010 Pearcey Roundtable on Publicly funded R&D


In the afternoon of 22 Sep 2010, the Pearcey Foudnation ran a national debate entitled "Government Funded ICT R&D in Australia". The debate covered many contentious areas including research priorities, funding influences and industry engagement. The panel of speakers included Dr David Skellern (CEO of Australia's National ICT R&D centre - NICTA) and Dr Alex Zelinsky, Group Executive, Information Sciences at CSIRO. It is moderated by Dr PeterCebon Senior Lecturer - Organisations & Innovation, Melbourne Business School.

For details see 2010 National Pearcey Event

2009 National Broadband Network (NBN) Roundtable


The announcement in March 2009 by the Federal Government of the $43 Billion National Broadband Network (NBN) initiative, has stimulated substantial interest throughout Australia and especially within the ICT sector. With this in mind, the Pearcey Foundation held a roundtable on the economic, business and social impact of the NBN on this nation.

The 2009 National Pearcey Event consisted of:

  • A Gen-X/Y panel of young ICT professionals who gave their views on the future possibilities of ICT in Australia assuming an NBN existed
  • An industry panel of experts who debated the value of the NBN to Australia
  • Robyn Williams gave the 2009 Pearcey Oration(MP3, 20 MB) - covering the vastly changing world we are about to witness
  • Senator Stephen Conroy gave the Governments perspective

2008 National Innovation Review Roundtable

Australia's Innovation Review Committee was chaired by Dr. Terry Cutler. The Pearcey Foundation approached Dr Cutler to speak at an "ICT Industry Roundtable" specifically to discuss the recommendations in the Innovation Review Green Paper. On Thursday afternoon/evening 11th September 2008, just days after the release of the Green Paper, The Pearcey Foundation held a National Innovation Review Roundtable in Sydney. The 2008 National Pearcey Event consisted of:

  • A panel of industry experts commented on the recommendations
  • A Gen-X/Y panel of young ICT professionals who gave their views on the Green Paper Recommendations
  • Terry Cutler who gave the Pearcey Oration
  • Graeme Philipson gives his Impressions of the event's proceedings


Terry Cutler's 2008 Pearcey Oration is available both as a podcast(MP3, 14 MB) and text transcript(PDF, 227 KB).

2005 Pearcey Colloquium


The 2005 Pearcey Colloquium was held on Friday 14 October 2005 where Australian ICT leaders can discussed freely topics of major concern as individuals rather than as affiliates to companies, politics or associations. It was by invitation only to ensure a wide representation from ICT users, R&D interests, politicians and public officials, industry associations and commentators, SMEs, vendors and financiers and the community.

2004 National ICT SWOT Roundtable


On 4th November 2004, the Pearcey Foundation held a Colloquium to discuss the state of the Australian ICT Industry.

2002 Pearcey Colloquium


This event was a neutral and discreet forum in which people in Government, Industry and other key areas exchanged ideas and canvased new and innovative approaches in an informal and non-political environment.

The structure enabled opinions and concerns to be openly exchanged and discussed, outside the framework of official or policy positions, with the aim to develop a broad consensus on the ITT future, identifying aspects of that ITT future about which there were divergent opinions.

Invited delegates participated in focus workshops, with facilitation and leadership from acknowledged leaders. Each workshop promoted open discussion leading to a communiqué on each theme. Participation in the Colloquium is by invitation only.

A background paper was provided - DCITA 1999 - The IT Engine Room - SMEs in Australia's IT&T Industry(PDF, 219 KB).

Focus Workshops included:

  • Improving our balance of trade and maximising our exports
  • Improving research and development and maximising commercialisation
  • Improving investment and capital base and maximising sustainability
  • Improving ITT utilisation and maximising benefits to the Australian economy

The 2002 Pearcey Foundation Colloquium Findings(PDF, 45 KB) were reported back to the full assembly.

Colloquiums and Roundtables
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