A more open immigration system and a push to prioritise maths and science teaching are part of a new innovation plan handed to the Turnbull government.
The report released on Tuesday by Innovation and Science Australia makes 30 recommendations that cover five core areas: education, industry, government, research and development, and culture and ambition.
It proposes the government adopt "national missions" that range from making Australia the healthiest nation in the world through the use of genomics and precision medicine, to saving the Great Barrier Reef from coral bleaching.
Those national missions would serve to "strengthen Australia's innovation culture" and could be applied to global challenges, the group's chair Bill Ferris said on Tuesday.
"By nature they are almost impossible things to achieve, otherwise you wouldn't call them that," he told ABC radio.
Mr Ferris admits it was "possibly" a mistake to remove maths and science from being compulsory into Year 12.
He therefore wants to see greater investment in teacher quality and a higher emphasis on the skills children need to prepare themselves for careers in science, engineering and technology.
Mr Ferris and his group believe looking closer at genomes could help in earlier diagnoses, prevention strategies and new treatments.
He admits meeting many of these goals by 2030 would be a huge task.
"But 2030 and beyond that's the credible pursuit," Mr Ferris said.
SOME KEY POINTS OF THE 2030 PLAN:
* raising the bar across the entire eduction system;
* encouraging business to increase investment in research and development to create "high-growth firms exporting innovative goods and services" to the world; and
* an open immigration system that would allow the recruitment of the brightest minds and talents.
