Faltering business expenditure on R&D is a major factor in Australia’s poor innovation performance. Today in our editorial series – Towards 3% R&D – Turbocharging Australia’s Innovation Effort – Dr John Howard identifies businesses’ failings. This is an edited excerpt (full paper link below). From 1981 to 1995, Australian businesses made steady progress in lifting…
A study just released by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency of gender pay gaps in companies found that women in the workforce are still badly treated, in fact very badly treated. The median gender pay gap in 5,000 companies studied on a base salary measure was found to be 14.5 per cent, while on a…
What were the five biggest stories of the year? Here’s what visitors to this site were reading. 5) Australia’s 50 most innovative manufacturers revealed @AuManufacturing and the Australian Manufacturing Forum’s first quest to identify Australia’s 50 most innovative manufacturers ended in July, and a second iteration of the series kicked off last month. We learned…
Two leading Australian manufacturers with complementary technologies and client lists have entered into a manufacturing partnership – metal additive manufacturing company Titomic and diverse, vertically integrated company Stärke Advanced Manufacturing Group. Titomic is a leader in producing cold spray metal 3D printers, while Adelaide’s Stärke is involved with tooling production locally and in the United…
The federal government has moved to ensure Australian-made steel will be used in the construction of Australia’s conventionally-armed nuclear-powered submarines when they are built at Osborne Naval Shipyard in Adelaide, subject to a qualification process. The Australian Submarine Agency has entered into a contract with Australian steel manufacturer, Bisalloy Steels, for the qualification of Australian…
The University of Sydney has launched the Australian Robotic Inspection and Asset Management Hub (ARIAM) which researchers say will transform the way important assets are handled. ARIAM’s work will reduce the need for people to enter dangerous or hazardous locations to maintain assets such as tunnels and underwater infrastructure, according to an announcement. It will…
Prime Minister of Fiji Sitiveni Rabuka visited Gallipoli Barracks in Queensland to view Thales Bushmaster armoured vehicles following the Pacific nation’s decision to buy an additional 14 of the vehicles. There Rabuka viewed Australian-made Bushmasters in action as part of training exercises between Australian and Fijian Defence Force personnel. The sale was announced as part…
Defence manufacturer Thales is taking its cybersecurity business to the next level with the closing of the acquisition of Tesserent announced in June and the company’s agreement to acquire Imperva, a US-based data and application cybersecurity company. Tesserent is a leading player in cybersecurity in Australia, providing a full suite of cybersecurity solutions and services…
Defence manufacturer Thales Australia has continued its revitalisation of the historic former Lithgow small arms works with the opening of the company’s new advanced manufacturing facility in the regional NSW city. Defence Minister Pat Conroy officiated and opened the new Lithgow Arms facility (pictured) which has been a centre of Australia’s defence industry since it…
What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to this site were reading. 5) The Army can fire weapons autonomously, but should they? The news was inevitable in a way, writes Peter Roberts. The Army has confirmed that it has fired a weapon system at a simulated enemy remotely from an…
