New Read in The Strategist – the Australian Strategic Policy Institute premier defence and policy column

Our Partner & Middle East Specialist, Harry Geisler, has just published a timely piece exploring how Australia can leverage SMEs to build national resilience.

Australia Should Balance Innovation and Sovereignty in Supply-Chain Security

By ASPI Harry Geisler

Australia faces mounting strategic competition in dual-use technologies—such as artificial intelligence, robotics, quantum systems, and space capabilities. While the 2023 Defence Strategic Review highlights the necessity of safeguarding national sovereignty, overly rigid supply-chain controls risk hampering innovation, inflating procurement costs, and delaying access to crucial capabilities.

Harry recommends a pragmatic, layered approach that protects critical vulnerabilities while embracing global collaboration. Key measures include:

• Adaptive procurement frameworks, differentiating high-risk components from those where commercial sourcing suffices;

• AUKUS-wide innovation teams, aligning requirements across allied forces;

• Trusted multinational venture funds to channel secure capital into dual-use tech ventures;

• A tiered Defence Industry Security Program, accelerating approval for trusted suppliers;

• Modernised export-control regimes, facilitating deeper international collaboration; and

• Strategic domestic investments focused on areas where sovereign capability is essential—such as semiconductors, AI testbeds, and secure systems.

This approach positions Australia to bolster its technological resilience without isolating itself from the global innovation landscape.

For more, go to ASPI — https://www.aspi.org.au/strategist-posts/australia-should-balance-innovation-and-sovereignty-in-supply-chain-security/