The A$30 billion Sun Cable crash is a setback but doesn’t spell the end of Australia’s renewable energy export dreams

By Bruce Mountain, Victoria University Sun Cable – considered to be the world’s biggest renewable energy export project – announced last week it had entered voluntary administration following “the absence of alignment” with shareholders. Sun Cable is expected to cost over A$30 billion. It proposes to build an enormous, 12,000 hectare solar farm in the…

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Why review the Productivity Commission, just ditch this industrial dinosaur

By Peter Roberts The federal treasurer Jim Chalmers has announced an overhaul the economic advisory body, the Productivity Commission, by broadening and deepening its work on economic policy and keeping a central focus on boosting productivity. Well good luck with that. Labor attempted to reform this bastion of neo-liberal economics once before – by moving…

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WA allocates land for $70bn of industrial developments

Companies from Korean steel giant POSCO to renewables leader Fortescue Future Industries are among companies who will benefit from a bold move by the Western Australian government to allocate industrial land for major resource processing industries. The state government announced Land allocation approvals for multiple industrial companies in Boodarie and Ashburton North to enable $70…

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Holiday defence industry news briefs – stories you might have missed

Canberra reaffirms nuclear submarines will be built in Australia The federal government has reaffirmed that Australia will announce a decision to construct nuclear powered submarines locally in the first quarter of this year. Asked about concerns by US lawmakers that Australia’s needs could stress American supply chains, defence minister Richard Marles said Australian industry would…

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Rethinking what Australia can and should do in silicon

Last year the former government asked the nation’s Chief Scientist, Dr Cathy Foley, to develop a national semiconductor plan. Brent Balinski spoke to Foley to learn what’s happened since, and for her perspective on where Australia can expand its role. About three years ago many people who had previously thought little or nothing about supply…

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Happy Australian-made Christmas from @AuManufacturing

Happy Australian Made Christmas to all at the Australian Manufacturing Forum Linkedin group and readers, partners and clients of @AuManufacturing news. 2022 is coming to a close and what – another – momentous year of turmoil and transition for Australia’s manufacturers. We are still experiencing the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, while Russia’s invasion of…

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Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

Boeing Australia delivers last 747 parts Boeing Australia’s Melbourne factory has delivered its last component manufactured locally for the Boeing 747 aircraft (pictured). Boeing has produced its last 747 which brings to an end decades of involvement by Australians in the programme. More than 55,000 Melbourne made parts have been delivered to the company’s Everett,…

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