Business envoy April 2021 - Digital Trade edition

Australia, a technologically advanced democracy with a highly-educated population, is well-placed to be a world leader in emerging fields, such as e-health, biotech, digital educational platforms, sports tech, e-commerce, advanced manufacturing and fintech.

Digitisation and the online world are increasingly woven into our lives. Today, we do more of our daily activities online than ever before, and the global COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated this trend.

Digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence, robotics and data science, will play a critical role in driving Australia ’s economic recovery post COVID-19, according to a report co-authored by CSIRO ’s data and digital specialist arm, Data61, and the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade).

Around the world, Governments lowered barriers to cross-border digital trade as part of the overarching policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

No longer catering for just niche products, blockchain technologies hold great potential for economic and employment opportunities across a variety of sectors.

Australia has long had a reputation in the industry for making high quality screen production. But it may surprise you to learn that titles including Wolverine, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, San Andreas, and Thor: Ragnarok were also filmed in Australia.

To thrive in an increasingly online future, Australian businesses need to adopt and adapt digital technologies at a greater rate than ever before.

The COVID pandemic has affected everyone, but some groups have been hit especially hard.

The disruption of COVID-19 has brought about an acceleration of several underlying social and economic trends.

Australian ‘born global ’ service exporters have good business acumen, innovation and a focus on quality providing a competitive advantage in international markets.

The Australia-Singapore Digital Economy Agreement (DEA) entered into force on 8 December 2020.

The Northern Territory ’s future is digital.

Covid-19 has done more than just close restaurants, bars and offices around the world.

Responding to the challenges posed by the telecommunications infrastructure deficit in the Pacific will enable our neighbours to take full advantage of the digital economy.

India is returning to its position as one of the world ’s fastest growing major economies and one of the largest contributors of global growth, with the IMF now forecasting real GDP growth of 11.5 per cent for 2021.

Australian manufacturing businesses employ around 900,000 Australians (2018-2019). The manufacturing sector ’s future lies in embracing new technologies and developing high value-added products and services sought by the global market.

Global Insights: Dispatches from Australia’s global diplomatic network.

2020 saw COVID 19 disrupting the world and upending markets, communities and business strategies, prompting the Australian Government to launch a powerful blueprint for economic growth – with the JobMaker Plan a key tool to help turbocharge our economy.

In Western Australia, Dutjahn Sandalwood Oils pivoted to produce new health products, connecting customers with communities for global cooperation and discovering a whole new way to deliver on its vision.