Science and Technology Council: Communique 5 - July 2026

WA Science and Technology Council: Meeting 5

July 2026

The fifth meeting of the Science and Technology Council of Western Australia (the Council) was held at the Forrest Research Foundation on Wednesday, 29 July 2026.

The discussion on digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence (AI) continued in this meeting, with the Council providing feedback on their Position Statement to government. The Council also discussed WA’s STEM and Talent Workforce Strategy. The Minister for Science and Innovation, the Hon Stephen Dawson MLC, attended part of the Council meeting.

Digital infrastructure and AI

The Council provided feedback on their Position Statement to the WA Government on AI, high performance computing (HPC) and digital infrastructure. The Statement articulates WA’s opportunity to increase its capacity in the context of current arrangements and commitments and includes clear recommendations.

The Council highlighted the opportunity for WA to utilise its natural advantages for planning and decision-making around AI and HPC infrastructure. This opportunity and the importance of securing social license, scoping the risk of inaction and proposing high priority tangible projects were noted as aspects to be incorporated into the Position Statement.

Selection and prioritisation of future Council meeting themes

The Council highlighted the 10-Year Science and Technology Plan’s research and capability priorities as themes for future Council discussion.

STEM and Talent Workforce Strategy

The Council held a joint discussion with the WA Early-Mid Career Researchers (EMCR) Reference Group on supporting WA’s STEM workforce.

The Council focused on cross-sector mobility as the key to improving retention and career pathways for STEM professionals, while strengthening the research ecosystem. A wide variety of initiatives such as internships, policy experience, professional development, mentoring and industry fellowships were highlighted as effective examples.

The Council also recognised the important role of vocational education and training (VET) in preparing students for the STEM workforce. The EMCR Reference Group advised the Council of their plans to conduct further analysis on the perspectives and experiences of WA’s STEM workforce.