By Peter Roberts A week or so from now, 30 years ago a young warrior for manufacturing industry Dr Roy Green had this article (pictured) printed in the Canberra Times outlining the case for a national industry policy. Australia was then just emerging from a ‘sheltered workshop’ era of manufacturing as the then Labor government…
Robotics, AI, and design-led manufacturing centre the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Hub has been awarded approved research institute (ARI) status – a first for the Australian manufacturing ecosystem. ARI approval is awarded by the federal government to not-for-profit organisations undertaking scientific research of value to Australia which had a suitably qualified research committee. ARM…
By Peter Roberts I have lost count how many from prime minister’s down have claimed to be working to make Australia a clever country, a maker of innovative things. Well guess what, it has all been hot air and good intentions – we have become less innovative year on year throughout the duration of this…
Comment by Peter Roberts Victorian senator Kim Carr has announced he will not be re-contesting his seat in the senate in the upcoming election, with his departure a sad loss to Australian public life and especially to the battle to value innovation and manufacturing in national policy. Carr has been rather unfairly characterised by his…
The New South Wales government has announced a new taskforce designed to renew NSW’s manufacturing sector, with the aim of accelerating adoption and development of modern manufacturing capabilities across industry sectors in Australia’s largest state. Minister for enterprise, investment and trade Stuart Ayres said NSW’s Modern Manufacturing Taskforce brings together research, academia and industry experts…
Australia’s economic resilience is at risk not so much because of a focus on China as a market, but because of the small number of commodities that we sell, according to a new study. The study, by UTS, Sydney Professors James Laurenceson and Roy Green, and Dr Phillip Toner of Sydney University compared Australia’s exports…
By James Riley The Prime Minister’s decision to split responsibility for Christian Porter’s former Industry, Science and Technology portfolio between two existing cabinet ministers has been given a broadly positive reception from the industry. The caveat, as always with this portfolio in recent years, is the generally expressed desire for greater stability within Industry. And there…
By James Riley Total spending by Australian business on research and development remains at 2012 levels, despite small increases in each of the past three financial years. A new Australian Bureau of Statistics report found business expenditure on R&D (BERD) was $18.17 billion in 2019-20, slightly below the $18.32 billion that businesses spent in 2011-12 at today’s prices.…
By Peter Roberts Even today, centuries after the invention of the steam engine, there is nothing quite like a powerful railway locomotive with a full head of steam to thrill young and old alike as it converts fuel into raw, muscular, noisy power. Riding South Australian Railway (SAR) locomotive 621, the Duke of Edinburgh, to…
Brisbane’s Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Hub has marked its first year of operating and noted a “huge and growing appetite for Australian businesses to innovate.”