Looks like we’re going to have to wait another month before getting our hands on the long-awaited expert report reviewing Australia’s national innovation system.

The Federal Innovation Minister, Kim Carr, has given Dr Terry Cutler’s panel, which was conducting the review, an extra month to produce their green paper.

The Minister announced that:

The deadline for the report on the National Innovation System has been extended by one month. The report is now due to be released in September

The Review Chair sought an extension of time because of the breadth of the task and the overwhelming response from stakeholders

The time extension does not alter the Government’s intention to issue an innovation White  Paper before Christmas

It’s encouraging to think that the delay may have been due to an “overwhelming response”.

Unfortunately, for those people who were left in the lurch by the rather sudden axing of the Commercial Ready program, it will be more waiting. That having been said, I’m sure most of us would agree that it’s better that they produce a good report slightly late than a poor one, on time.

Personally, I think the sudden ending and delay in the report have helped focus attention on whether or not, as tech entrepreneurs, we actually need Government funding. There are many people in the industry, the most high profile probably being Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes, who are glad that the Government has stopped interfering. Others who work closely with startups think that Government support is critical to provide funding when tax incentives drive investment dollars away from tech and towards movies and blue gums.

Of course, improving tax incentives for investing in tech (perhaps mirroring US policy, similar to the way in which they have done it in Israel that has led to much more foreign investment in Israeli startups) is something we can all hope for.

Time will tell if we get our wish, or if the tech industry is doomed to continue struggling against the odds in Australia.