The potential benefits of AI for the defence industry are substantial. AI can help soldiers make better decisions in complex and rapidly evolving situations by providing them with real-time information and insights on the battlefield.

AI can also automate routine tasks such as logistics, freeing up soldiers and officers to focus on more critical tasks.

AI can be used in human–machine teams to improve efficiency, increase combat power and achieve decision superiority, while lowering the risk to personnel.

We believe that AI has an important role to play in the healthcare offerings of the future. In the form of machine learning, it is the primary capability behind the development of precision medicine, widely agreed to be a sorely needed advance in care. Although early efforts at providing diagnosis and treatment recommendations have proven challenging, we expect that AI will ultimately master that domain as well. Given the rapid advances in AI for imaging analysis, it seems likely that most radiology and pathology images will be examined at some point by a machine. Speech and text recognition are already employed for tasks like patient communication and capture of clinical notes, and their usage will increase.

The greatest challenge to AI in these healthcare domains is not whether the technologies will be capable enough to be useful, but rather ensuring their adoption in daily clinical practice. For widespread adoption to take place, AI systems must be approved by regulators, integrated with EHR systems, standardised to a sufficient degree that similar products work in a similar fashion, taught to clinicians, paid for by public or private payer organisations and updated over time in the field. These challenges will ultimately be overcome, but they will take much longer to do so than it will take for the technologies themselves to mature. As a result, we expect to see limited use of AI in clinical practice within 5 years and more extensive use within 10.

It also seems increasingly clear that AI systems will not replace human clinicians on a large scale, but rather will augment their efforts to care for patients. Over time, human clinicians may move toward tasks and job designs that draw on uniquely human skills like empathy, persuasion and big-picture integration. Perhaps the only healthcare providers who will lose their jobs over time may be those who refuse to work alongside artificial intelligence.

AI in manufacturing brings offers streamlining and automation of complex processes. AI technology can effectively take control of data processing and input, that would otherwise require manual human labour.

Unlike humans who require breaks and holidays to rest, software including artificial intelligence can work 24/7. It can perform tedious, repetitive jobs without running the risk of burnout or fatigue.

AI tools can process and interpret vast volumes of data at a rate the human mind can’t compete with. This can include tracking, measuring, and monitoring inventory, machinery, and output.

AI has the capability to reduce human errors and reveal anomalies that would otherwise be missed. It’s a powerful tool when detecting quality defects and facilitating predictive maintenance of machinery.

Modelling geological formations underground is challenging due to the lack of direct visibility and cost of exploratory sampling. AI algorithms are being applied to improve geological estimations, fusing together a variety of dense and sparse data from different sources.

AI is being used in maintenance prediction and response, accident and injury avoidance, environmental impact including ventilation, pollution and water management, and autonomous vehicle management.

Apollo Care brings best-practice frameworks for care provision and governance, staff culture, quality and compliance oversight and technology development to deliver exceptional resident experiences and improved business performance. Our communities enjoy the benefits of large-scale efficiencies and specialist expertise at a local level.

Apollo takes on the governance, compliance, administration and financial support for each facility that joins the Alliance, while aiming to ensure that each operator preserves its not-for- profit status, brand and connection to the local community – in effect, ‘de-risking’ the business of residential care.

The ARM Hub is an agile world leading technology centre in robotics and design-led manufacturing.

Headquartered in Brisbane, the ARM Hub provides access to a network of research institutions, facilities and smart commercial companies in the region.

Innovation strategies, frameworks and implementation plans for effective cutting-edge solutions in health, industry 4.0, education, organisational psychology, human capital and workplace productivity.

The group supports the emergence of ‘Consumer Directed Care’, a personalised ‘continuum of care’ model, that is now legislated (in Australia) for both disability services (NDIS) and in-home aged care.

‘Consumer Directed Care’ is our entree into ‘Value Based Care’ and Australia’s global healthcare differentiator. Getting it right, means systemic entrenched leadership across Asia-Pacific for at least the next 2-3 generations.

This new model of healthcare, whist initially disruptive, will help drive new 21st century population health practices and the underpinning next generation of assistive technology. ‘Industry 4.0’ business models and technologies will be at its core.

New systems will emerge that have our citizens with comorbidity and chronic health conditions at the centre. Rapidly converging demands will align our population health, aged care, disability services, technology and education providers into a new alliance focused on co-designing highly personalised and practical solutions from the outset.

Capacity building will be a key principle progressing along the illness, wellness and fitness spectrum.

"Maximising opportunities from new, growing and strategically important industries including renewable energy and the digital and care economies will be critical to boosting productivity, sustaining full employment and ensuring our cities and regions thrive."

The most significant structural shift of the past 20 years has been the rise of the services sector. The growth in the health and care economy has been an important part of this trend."

• The health care and social assistance sector has more than doubled in size over the past 20 years, rising from 10 to 15 per cent of the workforce and now employs more than 2 million people. Employment in the sector is projected to grow by 15.8 per cent over the next five years.

• Labour shortages in the care workforce are already acute and expected to worsen with a projected shortfall of 286,000 care workers by 2050. Low pay and challenging conditions, partly as a result of high workloads and staff absences related to COVID-19 and influenza, have led to higher staff turnover.

• The care workforce is also highly feminised. Around 9 in 10 aged care workers are women and a high number of workers come from migrant backgrounds.

Africa is a diverse continent of great dynamism and economic potential. Australia is committed to supporting African nations as partners for regional and global stability and a rules-based international system that delivers economic growth, security and human development. We have a vibrant African diaspora who are making a valuable contribution to our relations with the African continent.

We also have strong and growing trade and investment connections with Africa.

Australia's two-way goods and services trade with Africa was valued at $9.6 billion in 2021. Our largest export is wheat, valued at over $900 million in 2021, with the majority going to South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, and Sudan.

The Australia Africa Chamber of Commerce (AACC) is a national organisation that is dedicated to facilitating trade with Africa.

We also facilitate trade missions to and from Africa and offer access to both African and Australian business & investment opportunities.

The AACC will accelerate Australia's export business to Africa through the identification of business opportunities, and by matching these to Australian industries in target markets, including: education, agribusiness, mining, tourism, energy, green tech and manufacturing.

Email us here: support@australiaafrica.com to express your interest.

AIB was established to convert business opportunities and leads to profitable commercial outcomes.

Many opportunities have been identified by AIB for B2B engagements in key industry sectors including Agribusiness, information and Communication technologies, Education and Skills Development, Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, Smart manufacturing, Infrastructures, Hydrogen and Renewable Energy and Critical Mineral.

AIB has been specifically created to effectively focus on opportunities that achieve B2B commercial outcomes, generating financial benefits for all parties, individuals and corporate to acquire financial benefits.

AIB is prepared to work with any individual or organisation that wishes to go for a profitable deal. Protocols for business engagement have been prepared to accept this opportunity to create personal and corporate wealth through profitable business outcomes.

AIB will focus in taking it to the next level from promotion and engagement to converting deals. AIB will be used to manage the deal flow and end to end facilitation of business between India and Australia and improve brand image of both countries, in both countries.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/australia-india-business-aib/?viewAsMember=true
Email: enquiryRT@aib.net.au

Is Australia’s housing crisis self-inflicted?

If so, then we need a series of reforms to reverse it

The best long-term solution to the structural problems of the rental crisis is to build more public and/or affordable housing.

Reform incentives that give more advantages to investors over owner-occupiers.

Reform on “no cause” evictions, where landlords can kick tenants out for no reason and make it within reason.

Make renting more Sustainable! Increase rent assistance or look at rental caps, similar to countries in Europe and some US states, long term tenancy agreements with incentives for all parties to the agreement.

The list goes on and we plan to have some robust conversations within this group that focus on solutions rather than the cause!

In Kindness

Allan 'Big Al' Connolly
Founder - Kommuniti HQ
Managing Director - The Whealth Group
Co-Chair - WA Alliance to End Homelessness,
and Lived Experience of Homelessness Expert
M: +61 411 468 337
W: bigalconnolly.org
E: admin@bigalconnolly.org
LI: linkedin.com/in/bigalconnolly  

AusAgritech is shaping the future of Agritech in Australia and its contribution to the Australian economy. Agritech is a standalone sector which applies technology to the agri-food supply chain, and contemporaneously crosses over into energy, water, sustainability, environment, climate, industry and emissions reduction.

Our world leading Agritech sector is on the frontline enabling on-farm and supply chain adoption of technology, as well as building a clean, green and sustainable future. It is the cornerstone of transforming the way we farm, how the supply chain operates, drives a world leading export reputation and is a key enabler of sustainability and climate adaptation through the development of commercial and scaled applied technology solutions.

The Agritech industry powers Australia when it strives to reach its national level agricultural productivity, export, sustainability and digitilisation goals.

We exist to bring the Agritech ecosystem to the table to grow a vibrant sector.

The Australian Cobotics Centre is funded via a grant from the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council's Industrial Transformation Research Program, and its industry and university partners.

The centre is a multidisciplinary and multi-industry collaboration with partners from a range of industries including medical devices and steel making and academics from different universities (and disciplines including Engineering, Business, Health and Design.

Our core values reflect who we are and how we approach our work. Everything we do is EPIC: • Excellent – World leading research with transformational outcomes for industry. • People-centric – Positive, inclusive and supportive people building a workforce for the future. • Innovative – Forward thinking solutions created for industry through interdisciplinary research. • Collaborative – Multi-sector and multi-disciplinary expertise unified in a shared goal to improve the Australian manufacturing industry.

Our vision is to transform the Australian manufacturing industry and increase global competitivity through the deployment of collaborative robots.

The Australian National University is a public research university located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Its main campus in Acton encompasses seven teaching and research colleges, in addition to several national academies and institutes.

The Australian seaweed industry is small: currently valued at an estimated GVP of AUD $3 million. Of this, the majority is from one company, Kelp Industries Pty Ltd on King Island in Tasmania, who collect storm-cast Bull Kelp (Durvillea pototorum) predominantly for export to a large alginate manufacturer and for use in biofertiliser products.

Australia Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data shows seaweed exports from Australia are valued at $1.5 million for non-human consumption and it is assumed that this is almost entirely from Kelp Industries exports.

There are currently no commercial ocean seaweed farms in Australia and only two small land-based operations for Ulva spp. cultivation in Shoalhaven, NSW (Venus Shell Systems) and Ayr, QLD (Pacific Biotechnology). Both of these operations each have less than five hectares of seaweed under production.

Two Australian seaweed product manufacturers of note are Seasol, who make a biofertiliser from Australian Bull Kelp, and Marinova who manufacture fucoidan extract from largely imported seaweeds for the health and nutrition market. There are also a small number of boutique food product producers using some Australian and imported seaweeds, such as Alg Seaweed.

But much of the recent commercial interest has been sparked by the discovery that a group of native Australian seaweeds, Asparagopsis spp., can reduce the methane emissions from cattle by 99% when as little as 2% is added to their feed (Kinley et al., 2016; Machado et al., 2016). This discovery is being commercialised by FutureFeed Pty Ltd, which was established by CSIRO to hold the exclusive rights to the patents from CSIRO, James Cook University and Meat and Livestock Australia.

As there is currently no large-scale commercial cultivation of this seaweed anywhere in the world, there is now a global race to begin large scale cultivation. FutureFeed will work with partners across the value chain to bring this product to market: establishing the production supply chain, processing, storage, distribution, QA, certification, marketing and carbon credit methodology. In Australia, there are two new entrants: 1) CH4 Global in South Australia and 2) Sea Forests in Tasmania. This is a fast-emerging, major opportunity for growth of the Australian seaweed industry and is discussed in the next section.

Semiconductors, often referred to as ‘chips’, are the electronic ‘engines’ underlying almost all technology applications, and hence a significant proportion of regional, national and global industry development, economic performance and growth. Chips perform all the calculations in computers (digital logic), industrial control systems in manufacturing, traffic control systems, medical devices, aircraft, to name but a few applications and markets. Other kinds of chips store data, as memory, in computers, servers and data centres. Still other types of chips create and receive radiofrequencies (RF) as the backbone of all wireless communication systems.

The semiconductor sector is a global engine for technology, economic and social progress within high participant countries. The semiconductor global value chain is among the most complex, capital intensive, extended and dynamic of any industry. It is intrinsically linked to the performance of high technology, which drives much of our digitally dominated present and future. Increasingly the sector is also seen as an important theatre of national and international security concern.

Australia’s semiconductor sector is relatively small compared to some other economies, but Australia is not without areas of strength and strategic significance. With a long-term view and commitment, there is potential for NSW and Australia to increase their participation in the global semiconductor value chain. The very dynamism and change which has characterised the last 40 years of the semiconductor industry – and allowed countries such as Taiwan and Singapore to emerge and prosper – will only increase over the next 40 years. This presents an opportunity for new participants, such as Australian firms with new products, processes or business models, to enter and prosper in the global semiconductor value chain and related industries.

Australia has capabilities along most of the space industry supply chain. By far the strongest areas are in applications where Australia has experience in integrating space sourced data into communications, Earth Observations from Space and Global Navigational Satellite Services (GNSS).

Manufacturing
Australia has no capability in the manufacture of large satellites and limited capability in design and specification of launch vehicles. However it does have capability in the specification and design of communications satellites through Optus and an emerging capability in the design and manufacture of nano- and micro-satellites in universities and emerging start-up companies.

Manufacturing of satellite sub-systems is an emerging capability that has good prospects. This includes high performance optics, radio communications systems, optical communications systems and on-board data handling. Many of these activities build on Australia’s capability in the manufacture of ground-based optical systems for astronomy, satellite laser ranging and space debris tracking.

Sport is part of the cultural identity of many Australians.

In Australia, sports and recreational organisations attract more volunteers than any other type of organisation.

Major sporting events – grand finals, international cricket, grand slam tournaments, surfing competitions and cycling challenges – as well as less watched events – weekend matches, morning and afternoon training sessions and amateur competitions – fill calendars and recreational time.

Sport isn’t just a favoured pastime for Australians. It is a significant contributor to the Australian economy.

Since its creation in 1989, the Bank of I.D.E.A.S. has worked with over 2000 communities throughout Australia and overseas seeking to facilitate fresh and creative ways that stimulate community and local economic renewal. Bank of I.D.E.A.S. has undertaken assignments in 59 countries.

Bank of I.D.E.A.S. staff are motivated by the desire to create caring, healthy, inclusive, sustainable and enterprising communities and local economies. Subsequently, BOI specialises in initiatives to strengthen community building, local economic development and youth empowerment.