Giddy Up or Slow Down? The Case for Wild Innovation vs. The Brake Pedal of Regulation

Colissions Stage
Australia has a choice: do we let innovators run wild and correct mistakes later, or do we apply the brakes before things get out of hand? Some argue that permissionless innovation fuels progress—WiFi, Atlassian, and Canva wouldn’t exist if we’d slowed things down. Others warn that unchecked tech leads to disaster, from AI chaos to biotech risks. Should Australia be the Wild West of innovation or a carefully curated garden? Join Jeremy Dicker, Helen Zhang, and a panel of sharp minds as we wrestle with who should decide what’s too risky and whether regulation is a necessary seatbelt or a roadblock to the future.

Session Speakers

Jeremy Dicker

A former Australian diplomat, Jeremy served in Mexico, Peru, and the U.S. before leading Intrigue Media. Fluent in Spanish, he’s a UN alum and a recipient of Peru’s presidential medal.

Helen Zhang

Based in Washington DC, Helen co-founded Intrigue Media. She has worked in venture, diplomacy, tech policy, and law—and was once a B-grade dog influencer.

David Wroe

David Wroe is a Resident Senior Fellow at ASPI and Convenor of the Sydney Dialogue 2025. A former national security journalist and Walkley Award winner, he’s reported globally on defence and foreign affairs.

Johanna Weaver

Johanna is Co-founder and Executive Director of the Tech Policy Design Institute, a non-partisan think tank shaping Australia’s tech policy. A reformed litigator, ex-diplomat, and reluctant public intellectual.