Interview with Steve Austin, Mornings, ABC Radio Brisbane

STEVE AUSTIN, HOST: Well, today the PsiQuantum facility will be breaking ground here in South East Queensland at their new site in Moreton Bay. Construction will soon begin on the world's first utility-scale – what’s called fault-tolerant – quantum computer. Apparently capable of accelerating fields in the areas of medicine, science, energy, manufacturing, logistics, finance and agriculture. If only it could solve our political problems. But anyhow, let's go to Tim Ayres, who's Federal Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science. He's in town for the sod turning. Tim, did you bring your own chrome shovel?

SENATOR TIM AYRES, MINISTER FOR INDUSTRY AND INNOVATION AND MINISTER FOR SCIENCE: I don't think I've ever been involved in a sod turning, Steve. This is all new, this is all new work to me. The real issue here is the substance, mate. Like what has been achieved here for Queensland and Australia. The agreement that the Albanese Government and the Queensland Government reached here to secure this vital technical capability here in Australia, rather than us just being a customer for offshore technology. That means jobs and investment, yes, in Moreton Bay, but more importantly, what this fault-tolerant quantum computer can do for Australia is drive, you know, real technological change, real advance, keeping Australia ahead of the curve in all of those areas that you outlined and that delivers jobs and investments here in Australia.

HOST: Apparently it needs two major things. A large quantity of water to keep it cool when up and running and a large amount of energy to keep it running. Where are they coming from? Do we know yet?

AYRES: Well, yeah, the company will of course be able to go into details about all of those questions. It will go through the normal approval processes. So, they need to secure power purchasing agreements, deal with the water challenge. But what this will deliver, you know, just like any other facility, any other industrial development, often water intensive, often electricity intensive, [it] has to manage those risks. There's nothing different about this except what it will deliver for Queensland and for Australia is a giant technological advantage, in a world where technological advantages are the source of future competitiveness, solving big national problems. We will be able to do that here in Australia with this facility. That will put Australian industry at the front of the queue. That means more investment, more good jobs right across Australia. But the beating heart of this operation will be here in Queensland.

HOST: My guest is Tim Ayres, Federal Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science. A billion dollars of taxpayer money. Tim, what's the return for taxpayers expected to be, do you – I mean, I realise that this is partly Queensland technology, but it really is speculative in some cases and we're up against the United States, [who] have already started the building of their facility as well. So, I guess we're in a competitive environment. What's the return for us? At what point do they expect to be some benefit come back to the taxpayer?

AYRES: Well, let's pose the counterfactual first. That is no quantum utility-scale fault-tolerant computer in Australia, that we're behind the queue, that we're purchasing products that can be switched off on a whim, in a race with everybody else. Here, we have secured this advantage for Australia.

HOST. So, this is some sort of insurance policy?

AYRES: Well, it's more than that. It means Australian sovereignty here, that we have our own agency on this really important technology [of] the future. Australia has developed fundamentally this technology. We are a world leader in quantum technologies.

HOST: Okay. Yep, that's right.

AYRES: And, this guy, Jeremy O'Brien, who has developed this technology, he's an Australian, he wants to bring it home here to Australia. The Governments have engaged and worked out a very smart commercial package here that delivers for the public interest, but secures this here rather than somewhere else. That's the core of this. 

It's just like some of these other industrial interventions. It is a Future Made in Australia intervention that is designed to secure Australia's future competitive advantage so we don't go backwards in technological terms. And that's good for blue-collar jobs, for high-tech jobs, for investment, in factories and facilities all throughout our outer suburbs and our regions. It is unambiguously good for Queensland and good for Australia's economy.

HOST: Well, I'll let you go to the ceremony to dig the first sod shortly, but just one final question. At what point will it be switched on? Do we have a date, an expected start date, where it'll actually be, the power will be turned on, there'll be scientists in there, there'll be nerds in there, you know, going through orgasmic pleasure in terms of if they can solve problems that are previously unsolvable. What date, Tim Ayres?

AYRES: That is a very vivid picture you're painting there, Steve. As the Minister for Science, I would never describe engineers and scientists as nerds. I'm very surprised to hear you say that. 

This deal has milestones in it. Contributions from the Commonwealth are only realised when the company meets its milestones. They will make announcements today. I'll let them do that, about the project completion dates. But ahead of the world, Queensland and Australia on this just vital technological frontier, we will be leading because of this Future Made in Australia intervention. And that will deliver not just for this facility. 

It's not like any other factory. It will deliver for all sorts of businesses that will rely upon securing a technological advantage to keep jobs and to deliver new jobs.

HOST: Tim Ayres, thanks for your time.

AYRES: Thanks, Steve.

HOST: Tim Ayres, Federal Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science.