Alicia Payne (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Last week I had the great pleasure of visiting the Canberra Innovation Network in my electorate to learn about the work they have been doing to support entrepreneurs and innovators in the Canberra region since their launch in November 2014. It was inspiring to hear about the new ideas that have been fostered by the network, and it brought home again just how much Canberra punches above its weight on business and innovation. With the support of the ACT Labor government and collaboration between Canberra's world-class education and research institutions, including the Australian National University, the University of Canberra, the University of New South Wales Canberra, the Canberra Institute of Technology and the CSIRO, the Canberra Innovation Network is leading the way of connecting entrepreneurs with experts, mentors and founders to develop innovative ideas into start-ups and beyond.

One example of the network's success stories is the award-winning Canberra brewery Capital Brewing Co., which last year became the first brewery in Australia to be fully certified as carbon neutral. I thank the leadership team—Peter, Harlow, Craig and Sharon—for showing me around and for sharing your passion and vision for Canberra as an innovation powerhouse. I'm incredibly proud to be part of an Albanese Labor government that will help the turbocharge enterprise and innovation in medical research, tech and the clean energy sector through our National Reconstruction Fund, a transformational and nation-building investment that will accelerate business and innovation in Canberra and around our nation.

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