By Peter Roberts The federal government has flagged greater government intervention to nurture industry with a proposed enabling Future Made in Australia Act to set the scene for a more activist industry policy future. According to a speech to be delivered today to Queensland Press Club and leaked to media outlets, the Act is a…
By Vigya Sharma, The University of Queensland and Julia Loginova, The University of Queensland Shifting Australia’s electricity sector to low-carbon technologies and closing coal plants is vital to tackling climate change. But such transitions are easier said than done. People and economies are often deeply connected to the coal industry. Coal plants have often been…
Following the November release of its report into advanced manufacturing, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Resources has launched another inquiry, this time into food and beverage manufacturing. The committee released the terms of reference for its work on Wednesday, inviting submissions from interested individuals and organisations. It follows a reference…
Applications are open for the first round of grants under the federal government’s $6 million Global Science & Technology Diplomacy Fund – Strategic Element, with a stated aim to “strengthen scientific collaboration with our nearest neighbours” in the Asia-Pacific region. Australian researchers and businesses can apply for grants valued between $100,000 to $1,000,000 for projects…
By Adam Gilmour There is a space treaty being proposed in Parliament right now that sounds innocuous, but has the potential of being the biggest speed-bump/handbrake or ‘own goal’ for the Australian space industry. Tabled in Parliament on 28 February, the Technology Safeguards Agreement (TSA) between Australia and the United States essentially allows US rockets…
By Peter Layton, Griffith University Australia’s naval surface combatant fleet is in trouble. The eight Anzac frigates are worn out after three decades of Middle Eastern adventures and hard to crew. The Anzac’s replacements, the much-criticised Hunter Class frigates, are late – the first will not enter service until 2032 or so. The project’s cost…
The federal government has committed an extra $11.1 billion over the next decade in its announcement on the future surface combatant fleet, in response to an independent analysis finding “in excess of $25 billion in unfunded promises” and following last year’s Defence Strategic Review. There will now be six Hunter Class Frigates, down from nine,…
By Mohan Yellishetty, Monash University Australia’s nickel industry has been granted access to billions of dollars in federal funding as well as relief from royalty payments after a collapse in the global price of nickel that threatens thousands of jobs. On Thursday BHP wrote down the value of its West Australian nickel division Nickel West…
The federal government has published the latest Science, Research and Innovation budget tables, and will spend $12.6 billion in the 2023 – 24 financial year, made up of $9.2 billion in direct R&D and $3.4 billion through the Research and Development Tax Incentive. According to a statement on Thursday from industry minister Ed Husic, the…
By Andrew Gunn, Monash University and Christian Jakob, Monash University The bush is full up – no room for more renewables, according to Nationals leader David Littleproud. Instead, renewables should be restricted to large solar arrays on commercial buildings in the cities. The country-focused minor party presumably hopes to capitalise on rural scepticism of large scale…
