By Roy Green, University of Technology Sydney This week’s appointment of Wayne Swan’s former chief of staff Chris Barrett to head the Productivity Commission puts the annual Trade and Assistance Review it released this month under a more searching spotlight than usual. Remarkably, the Commission used the review to target one of the key policies…
By Peter Roberts The Treasurer Jim Chalmers has opted for gradualist reform of the much criticised Productivity Commission, appointing a former Labor Party staffer to be the commission’s new chair. Chalmers appointed Chris Barrett (pictured) as the new Chair and said ‘to build a stronger economy, we need to build stronger economic institutions – and…
By Peter Roberts The Minister for Climate Change and Energy has celebrated a year of achievement on tacking climate change, lambasted the climate ‘fantasy’ of the former Morrison government and outlined his next task – the creation of sector specific decarbonisation plans. In a major speech to the Clean Energy Council Bowen said he would…
The federal government has released a discussion paper and is seeking feedback on how the upcoming Industry Growth Program should operate. The $392 million IGP was a surprise inclusion in the May budget, and will replace the Entrepreneur’s Programme. According to its web page the IGP will provide advice and grants to SMEs to commercialise…
By Peter Roberts I have just been reminded by a former colleague of the bad old days when policy, any policy, favouring manufacturing was seen as protectionism and picking winners. Those times lasted for decades, with the Productivity Commission and the Coalition weaponising the words against manufacturers. My former colleague asked: what government policy is…
What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to this site were reading. 5) LESSONS FROM AUSTRALIA’S MOST INNOVATIVE MANUFACTURERS On the opening day of Australian Manufacturing Week, @AuManufacturing and the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre held a special event: Lessons from Australia’s most innovative manufacturers. This is the introduction speech from the event,…
By Peter Roberts Much of the federal government’s 2023 budget has been leaked in advance, but Treasurer Jim Chalmers held back a few morsels including good news for the Industry Growth Centres in his official budget speech delivered in Canberra tonight. In a budget the government characterised as prudent – it predicts a rare surplus…
Queensland’s ARM Hub turns three years old Queensland’s Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM Hub) is celebrating its third anniversary this week with celebrations including cake and a string quartet. Assistant Minister from Manufacturing Senator Tim Ayres will highlight the government’s $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund, while Linda Dobe, a/Deputy Director in Manufacturing, Queensland state government,…
First baby to be born through utilisation of Memphasys technology Biotechnology company Memphasys has announced that India’s Coimbatore Women’s Hospital Centre has seen the first live birth of a healthy baby boy, conceived utilising the company’s patented system for selecting healthy sperm for IVF procedures. Memphaysys’s Felix instrument uses uses an electric force and polymer…
The legislating of the federal government’s National Reconstruction Fund could be a critical moment in a renaissance in Australian manufacturing, or the moment could be squandered depending on how it is rolled out. Here, Allen Roberts lays out some learnings from the past, that could help the NRF meet what is a massive challenge ahead.…
