South Australia: innovation industry driving jobs and prosperity

South Australia continues to develop its innovation credentials. In April, Lot Fourteen – an Adelaide-based innovation precinct in the CBD – welcomed Google Cloud as a new tenant.

Google Cloud will focus on SA’s health and medical research sector. It is expected to work closely with SAHMRI, based in Adelaide – an international centre of excellence for human medicine and health research.

Google Cloud joins Amazon, LVX Global, and a host of new tenants at a high-tech ecosystem that has so far attracted $743 million in Australian and state government investment, and which is expected ultimately to unlock $1.2 billion of private sector investment.

Project completion is not expected until 2028, but Lot Fourteen already hosts 1,300 people across 47 established businesses and 58 start-ups. When finished, it will bring together entrepreneurs and innovators from South Australia’s space, defence, high-tech and creative industries in a precinct designed and curated as a collaborative ecosystem.

Adelaide is home to a number of exciting space companies – including Fleet Space and Myriota – and is the home of the Australian Space Agency. Prime Minister Scott Morrison officially opened the Australian Space Discovery Centre, located at Lot Fourteen, on 31 March.

Tonsley Innovation District, at the home of a former Mitsubishi production plant, has been developed into a world-leading industrial regeneration project. 10km south of Adelaide, the site focuses on cleantech & renewable energy, health & medical, mining and energy, and automation & software.

In May, Hydrogen Park SA (HypSA), which is based at Tonsley, turned on Australia’s largest hydrogen electrolyser and began pumping green hydrogen into the metropolitan gas network – the first project of its kind in Australia, and one of the first globally.

The South Australian Government is supporting the ‘innovation’ industry as a key driver of future prosperity and employment.

It continues to seek investment to the state to boost existing capabilities in data analytics, cyber, AI, Creative Industries, and others, to add further to a thriving local innovation ecosystem.

NSW: postcard from the Hunter Valley

DFAT’s NSW State Office were thrilled to get out on the road in June and meet exporters in the Hunter Valley and Newcastle region.

The Hunter Valley has a long and proud history of export, from Australia’s first shipments of Merino wool to Europe in the early 1800s, to its pre-eminent position as the world’s largest coal export port today.

The past 18 months have been tough for exporters across Australia – contending with drought, bushfires, floods, COVID-19, trade and supply chain disruptions – and we were struck by the resilience of the wine, manufactured meat and coal producers we spoke to in the valley. Many had lost sales, seen revenues fall and faced uncertainty, but they also spoke of new opportunities opening up in recent months.

Trade diversification has always been central to the work of DFAT in supporting Australian business – whether by opening new markets through Free Trade Agreements, advocating on behalf of Australian businesses in-market, or by making sure the rules that govern the functioning of global trade remain relevant to Australian exporters.

By learning more about trade diversification experiences – what worked and what didn’t, and how government might be able to help through sharing market insights or other means – we’ll be able to set in place the policies that help Hunter Valley exporters like Tyrell’s Wines stay in export for the next 160 years. Cheers to that!

Victoria: fibre food energy and innovation – the Great South Coast

Victoria’s Great South Coast region is recognised for its thriving horticulture, viticulture, dairy production, timber plantation/harvesting, mineral sands, cattle grazing, wool growing and tourism (along the Great Ocean Road). It is Victoria’s largest food and fibre region and is emerging as an important renewable energy-generation region.

DFAT’s Victoria State Office took the opportunity to showcase this region to a delegation of 30 Victoria-based foreign government representatives (Consular Corps) to Western Victoria. The visit focused on Victoria’s food and fibre industry, renewable energy initiatives and impressive manufacturing and marine research facilities. A highlight was the opportunity to be briefed by the then Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, the Hon Dan Tehan MP (and Member for the western Victorian electorate of Wannon), who provided an overview of the region’s industries, capabilities and international outlook.

The visit presented best industry practice in large-scale operations such as Acciona’s Mt Gellibrand Wind Farm and Bamstone (Australia’s largest stone processing facility), as well as entrepreneurial businesses such as Alderwood (a start-up manufacturing the most powerful speaker of its size in the world). Deakin University’s Warrnambool campus demonstrated research excellence in hydrogen technology and marine science. The economics and history of Victoria’s wool industry were on display at Tarndwarncoort (one of Victoria’s oldest surviving homesteads), as well as insights into the production of quality dairy at Timboon Fine Ice Cream and Schulz Organic Creamery, and award winning whisky at Timboon Railway Shed Distillery.

The visiting Consular Corps met state parliamentarians and local government representatives helping them to understand regional priorities and economic development initiatives. This included sessions on promoting population growth, growing the visitor economy, expanding and diversifying opportunities in the food and fibre industries, and supporting emerging industries.

Feedback about the visit from tour participants, business hosts, and local government was extremely positive, noting the importance of showcasing innovation and diversity in, and the value and economic potential of, our regions.