A strong creative economy makes our city a great place to live through the attraction and retention of a skilled workforce, creative tourism, export and trade of local culture, more enterprise, greater expression and social connection, and city pride.

With a high concentration of people, infrastructure, business and investment, cities are the engine rooms of the new global economy. The power of a city’s success lies in the ease of doing business – exchanging ideas, products and services – and the presence of opportunity.

Given access to the right conditions and opportunities, creative talent and enterprises will thrive, generating exciting and profitable new products and services that stimulate the economy and grow the city’s profile

The Far West Region of NSW encompasses the semi-arid lands of western NSW and is known for the Barrier Ranges, and the Darling River which flows through western NSW.

The Far West embodies the dream of the Great Australian Outback with wide open spaces, untouched natural beauty, spectacular National Parks, red desert and rolling sand dunes, the mighty Darling River, rich Indigenous culture and history and an abundance of wildlife.

The region was first settled in the 1840’s with Broken Hill founded in 1883 following the discovery of silver and lead deposits and the formation of BHP. The far west region has historically been the mineral powerhouse of the State. It also contains some of the State’s most flourishing agricultural enterprises and large stretches of the world-famous outback.

There is a strong mining industry, historically centred in Broken Hill, with significant new prospects for expansion within the region. The far west has a strong economy based on mining, agriculture, film, the arts and tourism. The Far West is rich in promise, boasting mineral wealth and climatic conditions that give this region a unique competitive advantage in many industry sectors.

The region comprises of 2 Local Government areas, Broken Hill City and Central Darling Shire.

The Armidale Region’s largest employers include the education and training sector, health care, retail trade, agriculture and the accommodation and food services sector.

The industry sectors which drive the region’s economy in terms of regional exports, employment and industry value-added include Agri-business, Tourism and Education. These are the three ‘pillars’ of the Armidale regional economy.

The Canberra region is geographically and economically diverse. It possesses a vibrant, mobile and highly skilled workforce across a wide range of existing and emerging industries, providing the foundation for a strong economy

Adelaide is rapidly becoming the centre of future industries, including defence, space, advanced manufacturing and digital - machine learning and artificial intelligence, cyber and creative industries.

The Northern Adelaide Food Park will include food manufacturers and food processing businesses, together with food packaging, storage and logistics companies. Companies will be given the opportunity to establish in a dedicated food precinct with access to infrastructure and services on the one site.

Adelaide Innovation Strategy for economic growth and enhanced linkages between key innovation precincts, including Lot Fourteen, Technology Park Adelaide, Mawson Lakes, Osborne Naval Shipyard, Edinburgh Defence Precinct, the Waite Research Precinct and Tonsley Innovation District.

The Australian Government has invested $26 million to establish the Australian Space Agency, which will be headquartered at Lot Fourteen.

CBRIN is an initiative of the ACT Government, supported by six foundation members and sponsors including the ANU, Canberra Institute of Technology, CSIRO, Data61, University of Canberra and UNSW Canberra, and corporate partners Optus, PWC and ActewAGL.

Canberra is the driving force behind Australia’s space industry. It has the infrastructure, businesses, research strengths and education and training systems to support civil, commercial and defence space applications.

The ACT Government has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Australian Space Agency to strengthen the national space industry.

The Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex managed on behalf of NASA by CSIRO, is one of only three NASA Deep Space Network Facilities in the world and currently supports more than 30 deep space missions.

The ACT Government will build on the establishment of the Canberra Cyber Hub and Canberra Innovation Network by delivering a new Cyber, Space and Advanced Technology Hub that will enhance the capabilities in the ACT and region.

The Hunter features coastal and valley landscapes, internationally renowned wine production, important natural areas, both urban and rural lifestyles and extensive mining resources. Together with its global companies, these features make the Hunter an attractive place to work, live and play.

The region is also home to a multi-million dollar thoroughbred horse breeding industry, world-class wineries and national parks, and its river estuaries are the largest oyster producers in the state.

The Far North Queensland region is centred on the coastal city of Cairns. The region includes Daintree and Mossman to the north, Innisfail to the south and the Atherton Tablelands to the west. It contains a number of world heritage-listed areas, including the iconic Great Barrier Reef, and the Wet Tropics and Daintree rainforests, which are major world biodiversity hotspots and significant international tourist destinations.

Protecting the world’s largest living structure (the Great Barrier Reef) and the oldest continuously surviving rainforests (the Wet Tropics) – as well as the other spectacular natural areas in the region – is a huge challenge and needs resources.

These World Heritage Areas are important to Australians and global citizens alike so we also need people outside the region to join and support us in giving voice to the local community members who speak and act for these globally-recognised natural wonders.

Stretching from the western edge of Melbourne to the South Australian border, the Grampians region includes the major townships of Edenhope, Nhill, Warracknabeal, Horsham, Stawell, Ararat, Beaufort, Ballarat, Bannockburn, Daylesford and Bacchus Marsh.

Steeped in gold rush history the Grampians is home to Sovereign Hill, the Silo Arts Trail and natural attractions including the Grampians National Park, Mt Arapiles and the Little Desert National Park.

Agriculture and food production are major industries across the Grampians, with extensive dryland farming in the Wimmera Southern Mallee sub-region. Opportunities across the region include artisanal food and beverage production, broad acre intensive cropping and diversified agriculture.

The Grampians region is positioned to capitalise on renewable energy, manufacturing, tourism and intensified agriculture production.

Sectors such as tourism, agriculture, defence, health, education, aged care, retail and hospitality will remain important employers in the Far South Coast and Shoalhaven, and continue to make a critical contribution to the economy.

The Mid West hosts a rich diversity of industry and opportunity for investors. Join in this growing economy that comprises mining, tourism, fishing, agriculture industries and a wide array of mineral wealth comprising iron ore, mineral sands, talc, energy deposits, natural gas, silver, nickel and copper.

The Gascoyne showcases a diverse economy with tourism playing the key role in wealth creation in conjunction with fishing, horticultural, mining and pastoralism. The strong growth of the tourism sector, good water resources and management of natural environment, encourages economic and social development in this region.

Regional South Australia is a significant contributor to the economy. Its regions collectively produce one quarter of the national barley crop and two thirds of Australia’s wine exports.

Regional SA also produces just under half of the nation’s green power and is Australia’s largest and most diverse aquaculture industry.

A diverse economy, coupled with existing mature industries including manufacturing, mineral smelting, commercial fishing, agriculture, viticulture, tourism and food, make the Yorke and Mid North a leading region for the attraction of investment.

Tasmania is a dynamic place to do business. It is an island of entrepreneurs, with 97% of the business population made up of small businesses.

Tasmanians have a culture of solving problems and inventing new solutions, in everything from mining equipment to simulations. For decades, we have been applying these solutions to the defence industry where craft, precision, safety, strength, and sophistication matter.

Tasmanians breathe some of the world’s cleanest air. We enjoy rainwater of exceptional purity and our soils are unusually rich and fertile. Tasmanians focus on quality – on growing and producing delicious food and beverages, and creating super fine wool.

Tasmania, a group of Australian islands washed by the unpolluted Southern Ocean, has won respect as a supplier of fine, safe food. More than a quarter of the total land area is committed to food production, while a 3,200km coastline is ideal for catching or growing excellent seafood.

Tasmanian forests are the ultimate renewable. The forestry sector is managed by strict environmental and sustainability principles and requirements. It carefully balances the preservation of this valuable natural resource while supporting an industry that provides wood and timber products globally.

Tasmania is among the most mineral-rich places on the planet. We can extract critical minerals for the future. We have smelters and processers powered by renewable energy and a culture that privileges hard work, new ideas, safety, technological innovation, and a commitment to environmental sustainability.

A circular economy is an alternative to a traditional linear economy (make, use, dispose) in which we keep resources in use for as long as possible, extract the maximum value from them whilst in use, then recover and regenerate products and materials at the end of each service life.
There has been considerable concern in Australia in recent years about recycling efforts, and what happens to our products once they are recycled. This was brought into focus by China's decision to ban the import of foreign waste from January 2018
Australia exports recyclable material to over 100 countries. The three main categories of which are metals, paper and cardboard, and plastics. In 2016–17 Australia exported some 4.23 mega tonnes of recycled materials, a considerable amount of which went to China. Therefore, the decision made by China to ban the import of foreign waste has a direct impact on recycling and waste management practices in Australia.
So where do we go from here?
Towards a circular economy.
The objective of a circular economy is to maximise value at each point in a product's life. A circular economy seeks to close industrial loops and to turn outputs from one manufacturer into inputs for another and, in doing so, reduce the consumption of virgin materials and the generation of waste.
Some of the essential elements necessary for a circular economy are to:
• design and manufacture products that are made from recycled materials (rather than virgin resources), that can be repaired and/or recycled back into the system;
• establish repair centres as part of this design and manufacture process, so that items can be repaired;
• establish collection systems so that items unable to be repaired are collected, rather than disposed of in landfill;
• ensure that there is adequate and appropriate recycling facility infrastructure in place, taking into account location and sorting capacity; and
• encourage manufacturers to purchase recycled materials, thereby closing the production loop.
There are two primary business models under the circular economy - those that foster reuse and extend the life of a product through repair, remanufacture, upgrades and retrofits, and those that turn old goods at the end of their service life into as-new resources by recycling the materials they contain.

The northernmost part of the state, Far North Queensland is a tropical region stretching from Cairns to the Torres Strait. With the magnificent coral of the Great Barrier Reef off the coast and World Heritage listed tropical rainforests on the land, there are not many locations in the world that can boast such unique natural attractions within easy reach.

Perth in Western Australia is home to five world-class universities.

Curtin University is an innovative, global university known for its high-impact research, strong industry partnerships and commitment to preparing you for jobs of the future.

Edith Cowan University aims to extend knowledge and improve the quality of life for Australians and people across the globe. Our research priorities focus on solving real world problems across social, economic, physical and environmental domains.

Murdoch University research institutes have been designed to engage with our regions, as it is in these areas, outside the Perth metropolitan area, where our research can have the strongest impact, improving on-ground management, policy and health outcomes.

University of Western Australia is recognised for resolving real-world challenges that are critical to the planet and its people. We collaborate on creating knowledge to drive business and industry forward.

Government investment in Lot Fourteen is expected to catalyse further private sector investment in Edinburgh Defence Precinct, Technology Park Adelaide/Mawson Lakes, Osborne Naval Shipyard, Tonsley Innovation District and The Waite Research Precinct.

The Osborne Naval Shipyard will deliver Australia’s Future Frigates and Future Submarines programs, other major naval projects, and hosts some of Australia’s leading maritime companies. South Australia has its roots in the construction, upgrade, full-cycle docking and life-of-type extension of the Collins class submarine, the construction and delivery of three Hobart class Air Warfare Destroyers, the continuous build of major warships, including two Arafura class Offshore Patrol Vessels, nine Hunter class frigates and a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines that will be built at the Osborne Naval Shipyard.

Edinburgh is the home of RAAF Base Edinburgh, Defence Science and Technology and major defence companies, with major capabilities in research, development and manufacturing.

RAAF Base Edinburgh is the home of P-8A Poseidon aircraft, Triton unmanned aircraft system, special purpose electronic warfare aircraft, the Jindalee Operational Radar Network and space surveillance systems.

The Pilbara is Western Australia's second most northern region, defined by the Indian Ocean to the west and the Northern Territory border to the east. The Kimberley Region lies to its north across the Great Sandy Desert and the Pilbara's southern reaches border the Gascoyne, Mid-West and Goldfields-Esperance regions. The region covers a total area of 507,896km (including offshore islands).

Most of the inhabitants of the Pilbara are located in the western third of the region, whereas the eastern third is largely desert with few inhabitants. The Pilbara has four local government areas - the City of Karratha, Shires of Ashburton and East Pilbara and the Town of Port Hedland. Other towns are Roebourne, Dampier, Onslow, Pannawonica, Paraburdoo, Tom Price, Wickham, Newman, Marble Bar and Nullagine.

The Pilbara is economically significant, both nationally and internationally, as the region is responsible for a major portion of the production, value, exports and investments of extraction industries commodities, particularly iron ore and liquefied natural gas (LNG). In addition to the immense reserves of natural resources, tourism, agriculture, fishing and aquaculture all feature prominently in the strengths and opportunities in the Region.

Queensland is a significant global beef processor, servicing domestic and global markets with high-quality beef products. In a typical year, almost 50 per cent of all Australian beef and veal products are processed in Queensland.

The beef processing industry directly and indirectly supports regional businesses right through the beef supply chain. It is a major regional employer providing skilled employment opportunities including processing, food technology, trades, administration, professional and marketing roles.