EPCA Expands into Latin America Mining equipment electrification company EPCA has announced a strategic partnership with Escala Consulting, which will represent EPCA across Mexico and Latin America as the official sales representative for the region. “With established operations in Australia and Mexico, Escala leverages deep regional insight and cross-border industry experience to unlock commercial opportunities…
Residential building industry lobbyist the Housing Industry Association (HIA) has urged the federal government to do more to support the building product manufacturing and supply sector, which it says is “being held back by red, white and green tape”. According to a statement from HIA on Wednesday, manufacturers “are increasingly burdened by overlapping regulations, from…
The federal opposition has called a rejection of a senate inquiry into the nation’s troubled metals manufacturing industry an “extraordinary move”. According to a joint statement from five MPs and senators, the government used its numbers to “arrogantly block” a motion from senators Susan McDonald and Matt Canavan on Monday, with the proposed inquiry to…
By Roy Green For a while it looked like federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ Economic Reform Roundtable would turn into a tax summit, such was the clamour to revisit missed opportunities. And we have an abundance of those in Australia. However, the intended focus on Australia’s lagging productivity performance has appropriately been retained in the current…
By Madoc Sheehan, James Cook University Green hydrogen is touted by some as the future – a way for Australia to slowly replace its reliance on fossil fuel exports. The energy-dense gas has the potential to reduce emissions in sectors challenging to decarbonise, such as steelmaking and fertiliser manufacturing. The Albanese government wants it to…
The sale process for the Whyalla Steelworks in South Australia and associated mining operations — previously held by GFG Alliance — has formally opened, with “strong early interest from global steelmakers and consortia” according to the federal and South Australian governments. The steelworks were forced into administration by the SA government in February, with KordaMentha…
Australia’s grant system is working exactly as designed. And that’s the problem, writes Paul Carmignani, Managing Director of Powertech. Right now, if you’re a small business or a not-for-profit, there’s likely a funding stream available to help you test an idea, buy equipment or build capability. If you’re a multinational or a university, there’s even…
By Christian Downie, Australian National University President Donald Trump is trying to unravel the signature climate policy of his predecessor Joe Biden, the Inflation Reduction Act, as part of a sweeping bid to dismantle the United States’ climate ambition. The Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA, is a A$530 billion suite of measures that aims to…
Australia’s approach to industry policy over the past six decades tells a story of remarkable institutional restlessness. By Dr John H Howard. Between 1963 and 2025, the federal industry portfolio has been reorganised approximately 20 times—a major restructure roughly every three years. This extraordinary pattern of bureaucratic instability reveals far more than administrative tinkering; it…
By Samantha Hepburn, Deakin University In a decision surprising very few people, Australia’s new environment minister Murray Watt has signed off on an extension for the gas plant at Karratha, part of the enormous North West Shelf liquefied natural gas project. The decision had been deferred until after the federal election, given significant environmental concerns…