Australia-China relations and Australia’s manufacturing industry – by Katie Howe

The Australia-China political and economic relationship has been under strain with attitudes toughening in Beijing and Canberra. Here China specialist Katie Howe explores what the deteriorating relationship means for Australian manufacturing. “Australia and the People’s Republic of China, inspired by their longstanding friendship and growing economic and trade relationship since the establishment of diplomatic relations…

Why James Bennett’s Australian Made Products are taking Facebook by storm

Comment by Peter Roberts I only just heard about the extraordinary James Bennett’s Australian Made Products Facebook page. In six years James’s various Facebook groups – all passionate about Australian manufacturing – have amassed more than 3.5 million followers on Facebook. That is one in every eight Australians follows James. He has a number of…

SunDrive in funding overdrive on way to making solar cells

Technology billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes has joined the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) in backing solar cell manufacturing start-up SunDrive Solar which is aiming to make a new breed of cheaper, more efficient solar cells. Cannon-Brookes’ Grok Ventures and Blackbird Ventures have invested $5 million into Wollongong, NSW based SunDrive which was founded by UNSW graduates…

Industry cadetships: a good but small step to tap the talents of women in STEM

An overarching criticism of the recent federal budget is that it overlooked the workers hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic, namely women. However, the budget includes one promising, albeit small, initiative that focuses on this group. The government announced a cadetship program to help women to upskill in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), or to build a STEM career.