Innovation Grants Face Parliamentary Scrutiny
Parliamentary questions have been lodged, demanding clarity on how Western Australia's innovation grants are being allocated, specifically targeting whether recipients are truly pushing the boundaries of innovation or simply engaging in standard business operations.
What happened
Member for Churchlands, Basil Zempilas, has directly questioned the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation (now part of DEED) regarding its innovation grant program. These questions, lodged on 11 August 2026, probe whether the recipients of these grants align with the state's overarching Innovation Strategy. Crucially, they seek to differentiate between genuine, cutting-edge innovation and activities that could be considered ordinary business practices, raising concerns about the public value derived from taxpayer-funded initiatives.
What this means for you
If you are a Western Australian business seeking government grants for innovation, this signals increased scrutiny on your applications. You’ll need to clearly demonstrate how your project represents genuine innovation beyond standard business development. Businesses that have previously received grants, particularly those with consumer-facing projects, may find their public value assessments under a finer lens. This also means journalists investigating government spending and accountability will be looking closely at the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation's (DEED) grant processes.
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What this means for WA
This parliamentary inquiry suggests a potential shift towards greater accountability in government spending on innovation. It highlights a need for clearer criteria and more robust evaluation of grant applications to ensure public funds are directed towards activities that genuinely foster new technologies, industries, or significant improvements. The questions also point to a broader trend of parliamentary oversight examining the effectiveness and alignment of government programs with stated strategic objectives. The scrutiny could influence future grant program design and administration within DEED.
The numbers
At the heart of this scrutiny is Question on Notice 2937, lodged by Mr Basil Zempilas on 11 August 2026. This question specifically asks about the alignment of grant recipients with the state's Innovation Strategy, the distinction between genuine innovation and ordinary business activities, grants to defunct companies, and the public value assessment of consumer-facing projects. While specific figures for grants to defunct companies or the total value of questioned grants are not yet public, the lodging of this question indicates a focused parliamentary interest in the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation's grant allocation processes. Further details may emerge as the Department responds to the question.
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