Economists say ‘yes’ to industry policy (just not in Australia)

By Peter Roberts Australian economists have long been seen by manufacturers as the enemy as, led by those staffing the Productivity Commission, they have vigorously fought against any form of activist industry policy by government. The view is that policing backing even new industry such as green energy technologies, 3D printing or critical metals processing…

Collaborate to prosper

Infection control and dental manufacturer Dentalife has tripled in size over three years and is using collaboration as the catalyst to scaleup even further. Here Brett Henderson profiles the company, and how collaboration in business works. Dentalife is a 25-year-old family business under second generation management that manufactures infection control products and dental materials in…

Deakin and Jet Technology say ‘where there’s muck, there’s brass’

Deakin University’s Recycling and Clean Energy Commercialisation Hub (REACH) has partnered with Japan’s Jet Technology to recycle organic waste into valuable products, including converting apple waste into organic fabrics and sugar waste into stock feed. Alfred Deakin Professor and Deakin’s Chair in Biotechnology Colin Barrow and his team from the Centre for Sustainable Bioproducts will…

Defence industry AUKUS essentials – by Michael Slattery

The UK government has awarded £3.95 billion to BAE Systems to further design and engineer the UK’s and potentially Australia’s next-generation nuclear-powered attack submarine, SSN-AUKUS. With critical decisions being made on sourcing Michael Slattery looks at the difficulties faced by Australian industry to have a meaningful role in the programme. The latest AUKUS contract for…