Towards 3% R&D – budget responds to slump in Australian innovation effort

By Peter Roberts The 2024 budget has responded to the issues being raised by @AuManufacturing’s one-month long series of articles around the theme Towards 3% R&D – turbocharging Australia’s innovation efforts. Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced a ‘strategic examination of Australian research and development’ as part of the Future Made in Australia package of measures. According…

Towards 3% R&D – Why business innovation is faltering by Dr John Howard

Faltering business expenditure on R&D is a major factor in Australia’s poor innovation performance. Today in our editorial series – Towards 3% R&D – Turbocharging Australia’s Innovation Effort – Dr John Howard identifies businesses’ failings. This is an edited excerpt (full paper link below). From 1981 to 1995, Australian businesses made steady progress in lifting…

Towards 3% R&D – Australia’s climate opportunity by Dr Katherine Woodthorpe

Today in our editorial series – Towards 3% R&D – Turbocharging Australia’s Innovation Effort – Katherine Woodthorpe looks at the potential of innovation in low emission products for export. She argues investing in innovation and STEM skills has economic returns. In the fight against climate change, Australia and the world are at a crossroads. The…

Best of the week — the five most popular stories among readers, April 22 – 26, 2024

What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to @AuManufacturing were reading. 5) Boeing and Wagner join to manufacture and utilise sustainable aviation fuels Australian infrastructure, property development and investment management company Wagner has joined with Boeing to grow the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry to help meet Australia’s airline demand…

Towards 3% R&D – continuous improvement in manufacturing by Serena Ross

Today in our editorial series – Towards 3% R&D – Turbocharging Australia’s Innovation Effort – Serena Ross contrasts innovation to be new to the world, and continuous improvement – the lifeblood of her company, Circuitwise Electronics. Australia’s innovation effort can be improved by a greater focus on ‘ordinary’ innovation. In contrast to deep-tech or R&D-focused…

Best of the week — the five most popular stories among readers, January 29 – February 2, 2024

What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to this site were reading. 5) Federal government to contribute $70 million for Townsville hydrogen hub The federal government has announced “up to $70 million” in funding to support development of the Townsville Region Hydrogen Hub in Queensland, with construction expected to be…

Do you have the right risk appetite? Applications open for grants up to $5 million through new Industry Growth Program

The new Industry Growth Program – worth $392 million, aimed at assisting startups and SMEs with commercialisation, and announced in the May federal budget – is now open for applications. The IGP provides matched funding through grants worth between $50,000 and $5 million, supporting development of an “innovative product, process or service” that is either…

Lessons from the global move to decarbonise industry part 2 – by Cori Stewart

Cori Stewart and a group of eminent Australians have just returned from Europe and the Middle East, discussing growing manufacturing in a fast decarbonising world, and accelerating Industry 4.0 adoption. In the second part of a two-part series, she visits Germany and the Middle East. The Australian mission spent several days were spent with Germany’s…

Lessons from the global move to decarbonise industry part 1 – by Cori Stewart

Cori Stewart and a group of eminent Australians have just returned from Europe and the Middle East, discussing growing manufacturing in a fast decarbonising world, and accelerating Industry 4.0 adoption. In the first part of a two-part series, she shares insights into the implications of EU decarbonisation, and the growth of manufacturing hubs in Belgium.…