Ministerial advisory board meets

UNSW SMaRT Centre Director, Prof Veena Sahajwalla attended the first meeting of the Centre for Australia-India Relations with two new other members following their appointment by Foreign Minister Senator the Hon Penny Wong.

The Advisory Board met with the new members Robin Khuda, Faz Pollard and Veena Sahajwalla AO, joining inaugural Chair Swati Dave and continuing and reappointed members Helen Nugent AO, Amrit Gill, Catriona Jackson, Mitu Bhowmick Lange AM, Amit Singh and Michelle Chan (ex-officio) for a day of insightful discussion at Parliament House in Canberra. 

The Centre said Senator Wong set out the priorities for Advancing Australia's relationship with India, and the role of the Centre and its Advisory Board play in supporting that agenda.

Minister for Trade and Tourism Senator the Hon Don Farrell spoke to the work that is still to be done building India literacy across Australia’s business community, from large corporates to small businesses. 

Minister for International Development and Multicultural Affairs the Hon Dr. Anne Aly MP spoke to the integral contribution of Indian Australians to the Australian story, and the opportunity to build on it.

"We were also very pleased to welcome Indian High Commissioner HE NAGESH SINGH and Co-Chair of Parliamentary Friends of Asian Capability Senator Dean Smith at a lunch hosted by the Co-Chairs of the Parliamentary Friends of India Group, Assistant Minister the Hon Andrew Charlton MP and Julian Leeser MP where the focus turned to what's ahead for strengthening the Australia-India relationship," the Centre said.

"With new voices, expertise and perspectives around the table, the Centre is looking forward to working with the Advisory Board on the next phase of our work and on shaping our 2027–30 Strategic Plan."

Veena has been involved in many India-Australia bilateral engagements over many years (see these new stories), usually involving promoting innovation and science, as well as recycling innovations such as UNSW SMaRT Centre's MICROfactorie^TM Technologies and its Green Steel^TM Polymer Injection Technology that recover valuable materials from waste and reform them into new manufacturing feedstock and products are central to help achieve materials sustainability and for the energy system needed for the future.

Veena has also participated in many bilateral engagements about SMaRT's work on researching solutions for materials resource recovery using innovative and collaborative opportunities, which are crucial to help create circular economies while enhancing sovereign capability and reducing reliance on vulnerable global supply chains, as we highlight here in a newly published article and in SMaRT's newly published submission to Parliament's 'No time to waste' Inquiry.

The Centre for Australia-India Relations is a national platform established by the Australian Government in 2023 to support and facilitate greater collaboration and engagement with India.

The Centre works across all levels of government, industry, academia and civil society to build greater understanding of the Australia-India relationship and the opportunities flowing from our burgeoning connections.