VIP Launch - Australia 4.0 Communiqué

April 22^nd, 2024

Australia 4.0 is an initiative of the Pearcey Foundation to help our nation move towards a net zero energy system by enabling the innovative contributions of the ICT sector in collaboration with the energy sector. Over 100 discrete business and regulatory challenges  identified, were synthesised into to 10 key challenges with three overarching themes. The Communiqué outlines five pilot projects to accelerate the progress towards the ultimate goal of a net-zero energy system for Australia.

The challenges, themes and pilot projects are all drawn from the input of all the experts and thought leaders who have participated in the Australia 4.0 discussion series in 2023. The Pearcey Foundation will continue to facilitate the engagement between the ICT sector and the energy sector, will continue to encourage collaboration, and will continue to connect government, industry, research and consumer stakeholders together. However, what happens next is up to the actions taken by stakeholders.

The only objective for the Pearcey Foundation is to encourage and enable a better outcome for all Australians. The Foundation does this through its convening power as a trusted, independent, non-profit champion for the ICT sector as a key enabler of a better future for our nation.

Why Australia 4.0?

Every aspect of human endeavour is being challenged to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere that are driving a global climate change which is threatening the survival of our species.

The highest priorities are being given to changing those human activities relying on fossil fuels and the anthropomorphic carbon they generate. Shifting from fossil fuels to other sources of energy requires massive change in the generation, distribution, storage and consumption of electricity. This change cannot be realised without deep integration with modern ICT monitoring, automation and control. Just as that change in industrial processes was coined as Industry 4.0, we have chosen Australia 4.0 to describe the seismic shift of the national energy system towards a zero-carbon model.

VIP Guests

At the launch of the Communiqué there will be a short keynote address by The Honourable Ed Husic MP, Minister for Industry and Science followed by a panel discussion.

Guests present will include:

      Mr Wayne Fitzsimmons OAM, Chairman, Pearcey Foundation Limited

      Dr Ian Oppermann, Chair of Australia 4.0 Committee

      Ms Jennifer George, Deputy Chair of Australia 4.0 Committee

      Ms Anna Collyer, Chair, AEMC

      Ms Helen McHugh, President, ACS

      Ms Lynne Gallagher, Board Member, AER

The panel will be chaired by Mr. Terry Lampard (President, Electric Energy Society of Australia) and comprise senior representatives from government, research, energy and ICT sectors.

By invitation only:

April 22^nd, 9am – 11am

ACS Head Office