More Australian businesses are embracing artificial intelligence to enhance productivity, with 41 per cent of small and medium enterprises now adopting the technology. Industry and Innovation Minister Tim Ayres (pictured) released the latest AI Adoption Tracker data on Tuesday, showing a 5 per cent increase in SME adoption from the previous quarter. The interactive data…
By Deanna D’Alessandro, University of Sydney and Kate Harrison Brennan, University of Sydney In the wake of Labor’s resounding victory in Australia’s federal election earlier this month, there has been much talk about flailing productivity in Australia. In fact, last week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers made clear that the priority for…
Despite “decades of rhetoric about becoming a ‘clever country’”, Australia is no closer to meeting its research and development aspirations, and “simply pouring more funding into a dysfunctional system” won’t matter unless the commercialisation imperative is addressed, according to the Australian Industry Group. Making its submission to the Strategic Examination of Research and Development (SERD),…
According to the latest Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) industry expectations survey, industry leaders across Australia are notably pessimistic about the country’s economic prospects for 2025, with many scaling back on long-term investments in favour of short-term productivity measures. Innes Willox (pictured), Chief Executive of the Ai Group, emphasised that the survey’s results should serve…
By Roy Green, University of Technology Sydney Productivity is the greatest structural problem in our economy, according to Treasurer Jim Chalmers. He says there is “no higher priority for reform”. Announcing a A$900 million productivity fund to be shared with the states, the treasurer told a meeting of the Australian Business Economists on Wednesday Australia’s…
Today in our editorial series – Towards 3% R&D – Turbocharging Australia’s Innovation Effort – Elliot Duff identifies the issue as a lack of capability in diffusing knowledge through the economy to its grass roots. Knowledge Diffusion in Australia While doubling R&D spending to 3% will help turbo-charge the Australian innovation system, it is essential…
The announcement by the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of a Future Made in Australia Act has brought a chorus of negativism as well as support and advice from industry. Samantha Donovan interviewed industry policy leader Emeritus Professor Roy Green of UTS Sydney on ABC radio – his advice is to better coordinate policy, focus on…
The Business Council of Australia has called for the development of a national industry policy, echoing calls made by @AuManufacturing news over many years. The peak body issued a plan to secure Australia’s economic future – Seize the Moment – which aims to tackle chronic low and falling productivity and levels of national innovation, and…
The federal treasurer Jim Chalmers has given the new chair of the Productivity Commission Chris Barrett an impossible job, argues John Sheridan. If we can no longer measure productivity in a digital age – and we can’t – how can any amount of reform of the PC help boost national productivity? Workplace productivity comparisons mean…
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…