Australian shipbuilder, Austal (ASX: ASB) has delivered a 50 metre high-speed catamaran ferry to Taiwan’s Brave Line. The 550 passenger ferry, the first of two being delivered to Brave Line, is the company’s first-ever commercial delivery to a Taiwanese customer. It was built at the company’s Philippines shipyard in Balamban, Cebu. Austal CEO David Singleton…
Analysis by Peter Roberts Plans for the future of Australia’s minimum wage have emerged as a key election issue for business in the upcoming federal election. Opposition leader Bill Shorten has identified slow wages growth as a key issue, listing a series of steps he would take to kick start wages growth, especially for the…
Australian hearing implant maker, Cochlear (ASX: COH) has been given greater access to patients in the United Kingdom covered by its National Health Service. The company announced that the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence had expanded the criteria that health professionals use when determining who is suitable for a cochlear implant. The…
Australia is one of seven nations that have signed up to build the world’s largest radio-telescope across large areas of Western Australia and South Africa. Australia, China, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa and the United Kingdom will join in building the thousands of antennas that will make up the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope.…
Darling of Australian wave energy companies, Carnegie Clean Energy (ASX: CCE), is fighting for its life after missing key corporate and contract deadlines. The company, which is commercialising equipment to generate power from wave action as well as a solar/battery microgrid, remains suspended from the stock exchange after failing to lodge its half yearly accounts…
Fast electric vehicle charger manufacturer, Tritium is to enter the fast-growing Indian market.
Researchers at the University of South Australia have developed a microneedle patch with antibacterial properties to make vaccinations much safer than traditional needles or other microneedles. Professor Krasimir Vasilev, the lead researcher from the university’s School of Engineering, said they incorporated antibacterial silver nano-particles into the first generation microneedles to provide a sterilization mechanism. “Injections…
CSIRO has launched a new robotics innovation centre in Queensland to underpin fast developing robotics and automation industries. CSIRO’s Data61’s 600 square metre facility will help develop what is set to be a $23 billion sector globally by 2025. Data61 said the facility would boast capabilities ranging from legged robots and 3D mapping through to…
Australia’s apprenticeship system continued its freefall in 2018, with bad news in all important statistics reported in the latest National Apprentice and Trainee statistics. The National Centre for Vocational and Educational Research (NCVER) reported that the number of apprentices in training as at 30 September, 2018 had fallen 0.6 per cent form the previous year…
The high cost of gas poses an imminent threat to east coast manufacturers, making them internationally uncompetitive and increasing the likelihood they will wind up or relocate their operations, ACCC Chair Rod Sims said in a speech to the Australian Domestic Gas Outlook conference in Sydney last week. Mr Sims called on gas suppliers to…
