The ACCC has moved to disallow what it calls ‘anti-competitive and illegal’ provisions in agreements that have privatised NSW ports, opening the way for a competitor to Sydney’s congested monopoly Port Botany to emerge. ACCC Chair Rod Sims has announced that has it has instituted proceedings in the Federal Court against privatisation agreements that had…
Comment by Forum member Professor Roy Green. Connectivity isn’t everything, but it’s almost everything. Faster, better and cheaper is transforming our daily lives. And connectivity isn’t just about broadband access. It’s also about fast and efficient freight transport. Even in a digital world where so much of what we produce is intangible, Australia’s fortunes as…
Hanwha, Elphinstone sign contract for Redback hulls Hanwha Defence Australia (HDA) and Elphinstone have signed a contract for manufacture of “all 129 vehicle hull structures” for the Redback family of Infantry Fighting Vehicles under LAND 400 Phase 3 program. In a statement over the weekend, HDA said the work by Elphinstone under the contract is…
Without a concerted effort to develop local refining and manufacturing, Australia will remain dependent on international supply chains for the materials we use, leaving us vulnerable to global disruptions. By Professor Christopher Hutchinson. Australia stands at an important point in its technological and industrial future. While we have abundant raw materials and a wealth of…
RMIT University’s coffee concrete innovators won an award at Universities Australia’s Shaping Australia Awards in the Problem Solver category after tallying the most votes from the public, according to a statement released by the university. The team, led by Dr Rajeev Roychand and Professor Jie Li, developed concrete strengthened by 30 per cent using biochar…
GFG Alliance executive chairman Sanjeev Gupta said on Sunday that the Whyalla steelworks is generating between $13 million and $14 million in weekly turnover, with hopes of reaching break-even by mid-year. The announcement followed last week’s agreement with global creditors, ending a four-year process triggered by the collapse of GFG’s former financier, Greensill. The steelworks,…
Among findings of a recent survey, 80 per cent of Australian Made logo users believe the green and gold kangaroo positively influences consumers’ purchasing decisions. In a statement from the organisation on Tuesday, the Australian Made Campaign (AMCL) said their commissioned survey by Roy Morgan Research found that 89 per cent of its licensees “believe…
By John Quiggin, The University of Queensland Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s plan for nuclear power in Australia has provoked a great deal of discussion and analysis – most of it critical. Experts point out the Coalition’s long-awaited modelling involves both highly optimistic costings and a massively lower demand for electricity than expected in official projections. In…
ERA celebrates recycling of electronics In time for National Recycling Week Electrical Recycling Australia (ERA) has celebrated its achievements in recycling e-waste in South Australia. Backed by Bedford Industries, the company has in the the year to date notched up these statistics: 4,759 e-waste deliveries received; Daily average intake: 10,285 kilograms; and total e-waste processed:…
Silicon energy storage system developer 1414 Degrees is becoming increasingly confident that its SiBox storage technology is at the point of commercialisation. SiBox, which is is being developed in association with Woodside Energy Technologies, stores renewable electricity as latent heat. In a demonstration module, it has produced up to 900◦C hot air, proving its potential…
