Western Australia has a world-class health and medical life sciences ecosystem. It features a highly-skilled, collaborative medical research workforce, outstanding research infrastructure and a number of highly-regarded medical research institutes.

Perth has a rapidly growing and very active health and medical innovation ecosystem, comprising a mix of private businesses, universities, public hospitals and non- governmental organisations.

In 2019 there were more than 41 biotech and pharmaceutical companies and 53 medtech and digital health companies, along with 22 research institutions and 63 services and support organisations.

This growing sector presents opportunities to build on expertise in high need areas including
• medical research,
• new gene technologies,
• phenomics, medical technology,
• long-term population health studies,
• data linkage and,
• digital health solutions.
The strong research base is the engine room for creating innovative commercial opportunities. All five universities have strengths in the life sciences, as do the excellent medical research institutes – Telethon Kids, Harry Perkins, Lions Eye and Perron.

The state has been home to the development of very successful companies, which have subsequently grown nationally or internationally – Avita, iCeutica, and Sirtex to name a few.

The current group of companies on the rise is extremely encouraging, with Linear Clinical Research, Ozgene, Orthocell, Suda, and Gelflex garnering successes. While emerging businesses such as OncoRes, Respirion, Artrya, and Singular Health are burgeoning rapidly.

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.

Home to significant industry-driven research and education facilities and some of the world’s leading producers, Brisbane offers opportunities for investment in a wealth of new and innovative high-growth sectors including machinery and equipment manufacturing, metal product manufacturing, robotics and mineral processing technology, micro-electronics and recycling, and packaging of paper, metal and plastics products.

The Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies (QCAT)is a world-class research and development precinct focused on providing the highest standard science, engineering, and innovation to the Australian mining, exploration, minerals processing, and manufacturing industries. Advanced material engineering is an emerging R&D cluster at the QCAT precinct that focuses on light metals and fibre composites, growing sectors in Queensland's developing manufacturing industry.

The Dow Centre for Sustainable Engineering Innovation at the University of Queensland (UQ) is a centre of engineering excellence established to identify and facilitate innovations in economically and environmentally sustainable processes associated with the production and use of energy, water, food, and chemicals. Established in 2012, the centre is quickly becoming a magnet for talented staff and students, affirming UQ's leadership in the fields of science and engineering.

Adelaide is consistently ranked as one of the world’s most liveable cities, where visitors and locals alike can immerse themselves in a range of year-round festivals and events.

The recent growth of the state’s defence sector combined with exciting developments in space, big data, machine learning, advanced manufacturing, and creative industries, means that Adelaide has the potential to become a leader in Australia’s innovation, cultural and tourism economies.

The Future Battery Industries Cooperative Research Centre is enabling the growth of battery industries to power Australia’s future. We bring together industry, researchers, governments and the community to ensure Australia plays a leading role in the global battery revolution.

Our work is critical in making our industries more competitive by harnessing the research skills and industry expertise required to create new economic opportunities.

Morton Bay Region has the ingredients for economic growth in land, infrastructure, people and a strategic location. It is a function of leveraging these advantages and creating opportunities for the future. Through a strong economic development program, the region can continue to grow, maintain and increase its vibrancy and support an ever growing, attractive lifestyle.

The Riverina stretches from the foothills of the Snowy Mountains in the east through to the plains of Hay and Carrathool in the west. The Murrumbidgee River flows through the region, providing water to the irrigation areas around Griffith and Leeton. The regional city of Wagga Wagga is positioned on the main Sydney-Melbourne railway line, equally close to both state capitals.

The Riverina region occupies a large southern segment of the Murray Darling Basin. This system of rivers drains 15% of the Australian continent. It covers parts of the states of Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

The Basin is characterised generally by low rainfall, light soils, hot summers and cool winters, with long sunlight hours. Where irrigation water can be delivered the soils and long sunlight hours ensure fast and luxuriant growth of crops.

The Riverina region enjoys unique advantages because of the combination of varied soil types and land forms, together with a warm climate, and an ample supply of water for irrigation. This has helped create an economy based on agricultural production, food and beverage manufacturing, and wood processing.

Manufacturing, Agriculture Forestry & Fishing are the two key drivers of the Riverina’s economy.

Creative industries are largely based in the Greater Perth area (87.8%). Creative Industries are businesses that turn creative ideas into commercial outcomes.

The economic, social, industrial and cultural contributions of these industries are increasingly being recognised as essential elements of an advanced and thriving regional economy.

Creative industries are generally divided into two sectors, cultural production and creative services, each with several sub-domains.

Cultural production:
• Film, TV and radio
• Publishing
• Libraries, archives and museums
• Music, performing and visual arts

Creative services
• Advertising and marketing
• Architecture and design
• Software and digital content

The Gold Coast is Australia's fifth largest city with one of the fastest growing economies in the country.

Industries such as tourism, property and construction, manufacturing, screen, health, education and sport have played a big part in making the Gold Coast city what it is today.

We are leading digital and business investment programs to establish the Gold Coast as Australia's fastest growing economy, driven by the adoption of telecommunications and cutting-edge technologies.

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.

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.

The Wide Bay Burnett region is one of the most diverse regions in Queensland, boasting outstanding natural assets and resources, agricultural land, and unique townships.

The region’s agriculture, renewable energy, manufacturing and tourism industries are key contributors to Queensland’s economy.

Australia’s Fashion, Textile and Uniform Industry (commonly and hereafter referred to as the ‘fashion industry’) is widely misunderstood outside the industry itself, but is an integral part of Australian culture, society and economy.

It sits at the heart of a critical and multi-layered ecosystem that incorporates complex business models across education, workforce management, primary industries, design, product development, manufacturing, technology, supply chains, marketing, wholesale, retail, export, tourism, waste management, circularity and more.

It spans a complex ecosystem of raw material producers, design, manufacturing, retailing and educational activities and has a presence in every high street and major retail centre in the country.

It is also one of Australia’s true female-led industries, from shop floors, design studios and C-Suites, with women representing 77% of the industry workforce.

Current exports by the Australian fashion and textile industry are more than double the exports of wine and beer

Food manufacturing in the Northern Rivers is a $400 million ‘value add’ industry with regional exports exceeding $1.1 billion. It is the only industry in the region where local expenditure exceeds regional imports.

The region benefits from the rural co-operatives business structure with co-operative businesses NORCO and Northern Co-operative Meat Company, making significant ground in establishing trade arrangements in Asia. The success was a key driver for the Australian Government funded pilot project, Farming Together being located in the region.

More recently, newcomers to the region have brought entrepreneurial innovation and sustainability to the local food manufacturing industry. Sustainability and community are key to our local boutique food and beverage manufacturing industry.

The Gold Coast is Australia's fifth largest city with one of the fastest growing economies in the country.

Industries such as tourism, property and construction, manufacturing, screen, health, education and sport have played a big part in making the Gold Coast city what it is today.

We are leading digital and business investment programs to establish the Gold Coast as Australia's fastest growing economy, driven by the adoption of telecommunications and cutting-edge technologies.

Local attractions include Mutawintji National Park which is home to 30,000-year-old Indigenous rock carvings, unique White Cliffs underground opal mines, the historical ghost town of Silverton and an eclectic collection of galleries and current and past artists including ‘Brushmen of the Bush’, Pro Hart, Eric Minchin, Jack Absalom, John Pickup and Hugh Shulz.

The arid landscape of the NSW Far West supports a brilliant array of native species and contains 30,000-year-old Indigenous rock carvings.

The Albert Kersten Mining and Minerals Museum, also known as the GeoCentre, represents the extensive mineral history of Broken Hill. This geological science museum boasts a 42kg silver nugget as well as a large mineral collection, and it is home to the Silver Tree.

Visit the Living Desert Sculptures, a stunning collection of 12 giant sandstone sculptures 9km north of Broken Hill in the Living Desert State Park. Created by 12 international artists as homage to the magnificent desert landscape, the sandstone changes colour with the light, glowing vividly at sunset.

Drop in to The Original Silverton Hotel – the filming location for a number of popular movies including Razorback, Mission Impossible II and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Movie buffs can also explore the Mad Max Museum, Australia's first and only museum dedicated to Mad Max 2.

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 Illawarra is a coastal region in the Australian state of New South Wales, nestled between the mountains and the sea. It is situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the South Coast region. It encompasses the two cities of Wollongong, Shellharbour and the coastal town of Kiama.

Located 75km south of Perth, the Peel is Western Australia’s smallest region geographically, but one of the state’s fastest growing population centres, presenting opportunities for innovation in workforce skills, industry growth and economic diversification.

The Peel has a diverse landscape incorporating 50 kilometres of pristine coastline and urban, agricultural and horticultural land.

With a coastal plain bordered inland by the Darling Scarp, the Peel region is situated amongst the highest rainfall areas of South Western Australia. This climate, along with 23 rivers, streams and creeks, provides an extensive wetland system that is of international and national significance, supporting diverse and unique flora and fauna.

The five Peel Region councils are Mandurah, Murray, Serpentine Jarrahdale, Waroona and Boddington.

Fitzroy agriculture is predominantly based on livestock. It is the main hub for meat production throughout the entire GBR Region. Cattle meat production in 2014-15 was an estimated $1,285 million, which is 54% of the total value of cattle meat production within the GBR Catchment Area. Other agricultural commodities make up a smaller share of production value in Fitzroy, with the most significant of these being broadacre crops less sugar and cotton, with production of $236 million in 2014-15.