The federal government and a number of the world’s biggest tech firms have backed Australia’s first independent tech policy think tank.
The Tech Policy Design Institute (TPDi) was officially unveiled this week with a mission to “shape technology for the benefit of humanity” through independent research, education, public commentary and community building.
The independent not-for-profit has been spun out of the Australian National University after three years of incubation as the Tech Policy Design Centre.
It will be run through the Tech Policy Design Fund, with founding contributors including the Australian Computer Society (ACS), the federal Department of Industry, Science and Resources and Department of Finance, and tech companies including Apple, Amazon and Atlassian.
Tech for humanity
The Tech Policy Design Institute has been founded by three Australian tech leaders: Johanna Weaver, Zoe Jay Hawkins and Sunita Kumar.
Weaver previously served as Australia’s independent expert and chief cyber negotiator at the United Nations; Hawkins has worked for the Australian government across communications, innovation and foreign policy; and Kumar is a prominent entrepreneur.
“The Tech Policy Design Institute brings a new independent voice to the tech policy debate, focused on shaping technology for the benefit of humanity,” Weaver told Information Age.
Hawkins said the new institute will fill a “critical gap” in the tech ecosystem through research, education, commentary and community building.
“We are excited to bring the ecosystem, including its hard-working professionals, together to co-design creative and practical tech policy solutions,” Hawkins told Information Age.
“The support of the Australian Computer Society is a powerful demonstration of the commitment of the individuals who work for tech companies in Australia to build responsible technology,” Weaver said.
“They care about building tech that makes our lives better, and we look forward to working with ACS and its members to design informed and impactful tech policy.”
ACS CEO Josh Griggs said ACS is excited to support TPDi's initiatives including the building of Professional Development courses for tech policymakers.
“As a leading advocate for workforce development and digital literacy across all sectors in Australia, including the public service, ACS’s partnership aligns with our commitment to empowering professionals and shaping policies across the rapidly evolving landscape that reflects societal, economic, and ethical priorities," he said.
ACS is the professional association for Australia’s technology workers, representing almost 50,000 members.
The board
The TPDi’s board includes Tech Council of Australia inaugural CEO Kate Pounder; former Ambassador for Cyber Affairs and Critical Technology, Dr Tobias Feakin; and Atlassian head of global policy and regulatory affairs David Masters.
The organisation also has a number of special advisers, including Access Now co-founder Brett Solomon, former ACCC chair Rod Sims, Taiwan’s inaugural Digital Minister Audrey Tang, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, and Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen.
The TDPi will work to design best-practice tech policy through the development of world-leading research and to establish a pipeline of tech leaders. It will also foster public debate on tech policy issues in the region and convene multi-stakeholder communities to co-design tech policies.
A big year for tech policy
The launch of Australia’s first tech policy think tank comes at a time when the federal government is discussing significant reforms around tech, including with the regulation of artificial intelligence, privacy laws and a number of efforts to crackdown on social media firms.
“Tech policy issues are front and centre for 2025 – from cybersecurity and privacy to responsible artificial intelligence and safe social media,” Hawkins said.
“Australia has an opportunity to lean in and shape the technology we want to see through policy.”
The federal government late last year passed a world-first social media age limit which will ban children aged under 16 years old from using platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.
This was met with concerns over how such a policy will be implemented and if it will involve all users of social media having to verify their ages, and a range of potential negatives of blocking children from these sites.
ACS is the publisher of Information Age.