The National Reconstruction Fund Corporation announced the departure of its founding CEO Ivan Power before the weekend, citing health problems. In a brief statement, the NRFC said Power had suffered several health challenges since he began his role this year and has been on extended leave since late-May. NRFC chair Martijn Wilder thanked Power, adding…
On Friday Germany and Australia pledged $660 million to help create a green hydrogen export supply chain to Europe. At the same time UNSW Sydney researchers have released a first report exploring the feasibility of collaboration on exporting hydrogen and green metals – here is the executive summary of their study. The global steel industry…
By Peter Roberts Both major political parties should hang their heads in shame for allowing Australia’s value-adding manufacturing sector to sink to become such a small share of our economy. No single party is responsible for us being the least complex economy among advanced nations, however a special place is held by the Liberal-National coalition…
By Peter Roberts Well, it has finally come to this. Manufacturing in Australia really has sunk to a low ebb when this nation blessed with rich agriculture regions can barely make even the most humble of products. I confess to being an occasional eater of baked beans – they must have been something my dear…
Australia’s Group of Eight major universities has issued a decadal roadmap to return the nation to a necessary 3% of GDP devoted to R&D. (Download @AuManufacturing’s Towards 3% R&D e-book here) Here Dr Philip Chindamo proposes actions to boost business R&D. A thriving, innovative, and internationally competitive economy is essential to maintain our standard of…
Battery manufacturing headlines young companies in their commercialisation stage that have received some of the first funding from the federal government’s Industry Growth Program. The IGP, which is intended to lead to investment through the $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund should scale up be successful, is worth a total of $392 million. The Minister for…
Australia’s newly minted Assistant Minister for a Future Made in Australia Tim Ayres believes opportunities such as the revitalisation of manufacturing come around rarely. Today is one of those opportunities he argues in this excerpt from his address to the National Manufacturing Summit. As the Prime Minister said back in April – we need to…
The first round of Australia’s Economic Accelerator (AEA) grants is now open to researchers and industry in key areas identified by the federal government such as refining and processing of critical minerals, renewable hydrogen, and green metals. $180 million in funding is available for university researchers and their industry partners to commercialise research related to…
By Peter Roberts The Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic has made an impassioned commitment to words all too often forgotten in recent years – value adding and fostering Australian ingenuity. In a speech to the Australian Space Forum Husic said a Future Made in Australia would be defined by resilience, prosperity, and unwavering…
The entity charged with investing $15 billion on behalf of the federal government to diversify and transform the national economy has appointed its inaugural Chief Investment Officer (CIO). In a statement on Friday, the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation announced Dr Mary Manning’s appointment in the role. She will begin next month. She will “oversee investment…
