India knows it and so does the global tech industry – Australia has turned its back on the biggest potential area of collaboration and trade growth with India, the technology industry. The restrictions Australia has imposed on skilled migration (changes to the living-away-from-home allowance and 457 visas) have put a massive constraint on the growth of technology.
As Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes said yesterday: “We said to the global tech industry we are fundamentally closed for business. The lack of access to global talent is the single biggest factor constraining the growth of the tech industry in Australia.” Mike helped take Atlassian to become a billion dollar tech company and Australia’s biggest – he knows what he is talking about.
He pointed out to a Senate hearing that when overseas IT talent comes here, it actually creates jobs for Australians as local companies hire locals to support this imported talent.
Instead of blocking Indian skilled workers, Australia should seek out a special relationship with India in the technology sector. It would be in the best interests of both countries.
Australia has turned its back on technology growth and is hurting itself in the process.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
Author: Stephen Manallack
Former President, Australia India Business Council, Victoria and Author, You Can Communicate; Riding the Elephant; Soft Skills for a Flat World (published by Tata McGraw-Hill INDIA); Communicating Your Personal Brand.
Director, EastWest Academy Pty Ltd and Trainer/Speaker/Mentor in Leadership, Communication and Cross Cultural Communication.
Passionate campaigner for closer western relations with India.
Stephen Manallack is a specialist on “Doing Business with India” and advisor/trainer on “Cross-Cultural Understanding”. He is a Director of EastWest Academy Pty Ltd which provides strategic advice and counsel regarding business relations with India.
A regular speaker in India on leadership and global communication, his most recent speaking tour included a speech to students of the elite Indian university, Amity University, in Noida. He also spoke at a major Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) global summit, the PR Consultants Association of India in Delhi, the Symbiosis University in Pune and Cross-Cultural Training for Sundaram Business Services in Chennai. He has visited India on business missions on 10 occasions and led three major trade missions there. He provides cross-cultural training – Asia and the west.
View all posts by Stephen Manallack
Into India 