By Alasdair Pal

SYDNEY, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Australia appointed Tesla TSLA.O chair Robyn Denholm on Monday to lead a review of the country's research and development performance, in an attempt to improve economic growth.

Denholm and three other panellists drawn from academia and business will be tasked with creating a more purposeful approach to R&D, including strengthening links between research and industry.

"It's been almost 20 years since we asked the hard questions about our R&D performance, despite the alarming slide over the last decade," Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic said.

"This review is designed to give us an evidence-based pathway to stronger growth."

Australia is one of the world's wealthiest nations, but is heavily reliant on its resources industries for growth and has long struggled with diversifying its economy.

A Harvard University index measuring economic complexity places Australia 93rd out of 133 countries tracked, behind nations including Uganda, Malawi and Laos.

Tesla chief executive Elon Musk, who will serve in the incoming administration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, has been heavily critical of Australia's Labor government over its policy towards technology companies, including a ban on the use of social media for under 16s.

At a press conference announcing her appointment on Monday, Denholm was asked repeatedly about Musk and whether her relationship with him would help smooth relations between the Tesla founder and the Australian government.

"Today is all about the R&D review that the government has announced," she said.

Before becoming Tesla chair, Denholm held senior roles at U.S. technology firm Juniper Networks JNPR.N and Australian telco Telstra TLS.AX. Last year, business magazine Forbes ranked her the 80th most powerful woman in the world.

(Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Saad Sayeed)

((Alasdair.Pal@thomsonreuters.com; +61 291 717 228; Reuters Messaging: alasdair.pal.reuters.com@reuters.net))