The South West is one of Western Australia’s nine recognised regions located outside the Perth metropolitan area. Fronting the Indian and Southern oceans, covering 24,000 square kilometres and including 12 local government areas, the South West is the most populous and economically diverse of WA’s regions.

Of the landmass that comprises the region, about two-thirds is made up of State Forest, National Parks and regional parks, with the southern forests being the largest component. About 25% is occupied by agricultural and rural uses, with about 8% used for industrial and urban development.

The economy benefits from the combination of the commodity rich hinterland (agriculture and mineral resources) in close proximity to a working port. Alumina refining and associated construction play a major role in economic output and employment. Agriculture, forestry and associated processing are significant sectors supplying dairy, beef, vegetables and wood/timber products for domestic consumption and increasingly for export markets.

Historically, timber production and agriculture have been the predominant land uses within the Margaret River region, which has some of the most productive agricultural land in the State. The agriculture sector is diverse and includes a variety of cropping, viticulture and wine, fruit, flower and vegetable production, olives and olive oil, pasture production and livestock - beef and dairy cattle, sheep and deer, timber and artisan cheese production.

The Central West region of New South Wales is renowned for its food and wine and excellent agricultural produce. It covers an area of 63,000 square kilometres starting at the temperate, elevated Central Tablelands on the western side of the Blue Mountains and extends almost 500km to the semi-arid Central West plains.

The region is home to over 181,000 people within the 11 council areas of Bathurst, Blayney, Cabonne, Cowra, Forbes, Lachlan, Lithgow, Oberon, Orange, Parkes and Weddin.

Unique in its diversity of economy, the Central West Region of NSW is rich in natural resources with agriculture, mining and tourism significant drivers of jobs and opportunities. Increasingly, health and education have taken on a significant role in the region’s economy.

The agriculture and mining industry output is underpinned by abundant natural resources within rich soil and mineral deposits. Additionally, varied topography and climatic conditions across the region provide various opportunities ranging from forestry, cool climate produce, dairy, sheep and beef livestock, as well as a variety of irrigation and broad acre crops.

Toowoomba and its surrounding regions which include the Maranoa, Western Downs, Southern Downs, Goondiwindi, Burnett and Moree regions, is a food producing powerhouse for Australia.

The food capability of these council areas is driven by the diversity of fresh and value added products grown and produced in these locations.

Key agricultural outputs for this catchment include cotton, grain, beef, pork, poultry, dairy and fruit and vegetables. Aiding the regions food capability are the regions' research facilities, including the University of Southern Queensland’s Institute for Agriculture and the Environment which focuses on developing solutions for a sustainable and profitable future for the rural sector.

The Wheatbelt is so called because of its extensive agricultural industry. The region is the primary producer of cereal crops in the state and contributes other agricultural products such as canola, olives, vegetables, wine grapes, honey, citrus fruits and livestock.

Whilst agriculture remains the dominant industry, the economy of the region is also supported by mining, commerce, retail, manufacturing, fishing and tourism.

The natural and cultural attributes of the region make it extremely versatile in tourism service and product offerings.

Support for local government, business and communities is required to capitalise on the opportunities presented by the regional, state, national and international tourist sectors. A collaboration model across 42 shires is required.

A ‘Wander the Wheatbelt’ online platform is being investigated with short term opportunities to boost tourism.

Agribusiness – focusing on niche food and beverage product and value-adding production – which has a strong foundation in the region and is a key part of the economic future of the hinterland communities. This sector will expand in response to burgeoning national and global demand a clean and safe food supply.

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.

The Central Coast is a region of New South Wales, Australia, lying on the Pacific Ocean north of Sydney. Towns like Terrigal and Avoca Beach feature expansive beaches and surfing. The Entrance is a resort area offering a range of recreation at the confluence of the ocean and Tuggerah Lake, a saltwater wetland. The city of Gosford is the main commercial hub and visitor gateway.

As a region, we have economic opportunities in front of us – the digital revolution, emerging local industries, smart technologies, a growing innovation eco-system, and a desirable growing visitor economy.

North Queensland has long been a base for various major industries, including mineral processing, sugar mills, beef processing and concrete batching plants.
Industries considered for the region include sea, air, rail and road-dependent industrial uses such as manufacturing (chemicals and metals production), minerals processing, food processing, intermodal freight and logistics and bulk storage.

The region is home to key defence bases including Lavarack Barracks (one of Australia’s largest), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Townsville (co-located with Townsville Airport) and the Ross Island Barracks. The Port of Townsville also supports naval operations for both Australia and foreign vessels.

Townsville is the base for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Australian Institute of Marine Sciences, Australian Research Council’s Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef studies, TropWATER, CSIRO and ReefHQ aquarium.

Ipswich economy is driven by high value industries of manufacturing, health care and social assistance, retail trade, education and defence. Ipswich is located in a prime location in South East Queensland, between Gold Coast to the south, Toowoomba to the west, Brisbane to the east, and the Sunshine Coast to the north.

Tasmania has a strong and growing economy, and with a growing economy comes a growth in employment opportunities. Health care and social assistance is the largest employment sector in the state followed by retail, and education and training.

The Mid North Coast is a country region in the north-east of the state of New South Wales, Australia. The region covers the mid northern coast of the state, beginning from Port Stephens 160 km north of Sydney, and extending as far north as Woolgoolga, 562 km north of Sydney, a distance of roughly 400 km. It also includes the World Heritage Area of Lord Howe Island, about 600km east of Port Macquarie.

The Mid North Coast lies between the Great Divide and the east coast. The landscape is typified by winding rivers that feed lush hinterland, and over one hundred kilometres of pristine beaches. It benefits from a high rainfall and is considered by many to have the most ideal climate in Australia. Taree, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie.

Over the last twenty years the NSW Mid North Coast Region has evolved from a coastal retirement and tourist destination with a significant agricultural base - forestry, fishing and farming to a region with a diversified service- based economy.

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.

Ipswich has a long and proud manufacturing history. Today, it has a thriving modern manufacturing industry that provides a significant contribution to the Queensland economy.
Manufacturing alone generated more than half (51%) of the total exports, $3.6 billion, an increase of more than 2,400 full time jobs from 2019/20. This global reach is a recognised strength for the region.

Historically, Ipswich has been famously known as a rail manufacturer. Today however, it is a world-class aerospace and defence centre with a booming food manufacturing hub. Collectively, manufacturing added $1.6 billion in value, an increase of over 14% since the previous year (2019/20).

As the largest industry across the manufacturing sector, food product manufacturing accounts for $2.1 billion in exports, $612 million value added to the economy and 6% of full time jobs. Ipswich is home to JBS Australia's Northern Division headquarters, alongside JBS Australia's Dinmore processing facility, the largest beef processing plant in the southern hemisphere. Its connectivity to major highways and rail ensures access to an extensive network of quality cattle.

Ipswich has established itself as a major production and distribution centre to both national and international food markets. Significant industry opportunities continue to emerge in the region including food packaging and new agritourism developments.

Who can work from home?
The ability for people to do their job from home is strongly tied to their occupation and the tasks they are required to perform. Working from home is particularly suited to office-based workers such as managers, professionals and clerical and administrative workers, where workers use computers, interact less with the public, do not perform outdoor work or physical activity, and do not work with immovable structures, materials or equipment.
Census data from 2016 shows that approximately 35% of workers had jobs that were amenable to working from home. This potential to work from home is associated with higher levels of education and higher incomes, and full-time jobs.

Why didn’t these people work from home before the pandemic?
Prior to the pandemic, the technology allowing many people to work from home existed — but very few took it up. HILDA data show that, in 2019, around 8% of employees had a formal work-from-home arrangement, and worked a median of one day per week from home. Overall, around 2% of total hours were worked from home. Census data from 2016 also suggests that a small proportion of workers (5%) worked from home instead of commuting on census day.
A number of reasons can be advanced for low take-up of work-from-home arrangements prior to the pandemic. Management practices and cultural norms in workplaces, and stigma associated with working from home, may have discouraged remote work. Firms would have been reluctant to invest in the technology and systems for large-scale working from home, given uncertainty about its benefits. As the CEO of Morgan Stanley explained in 2020:
If you’d said three months ago that 90% of our employees will be working from home and the employer would be functioning fine, I’d say that is a test I’m not prepared to take because the downside of being wrong on that is massive. (Cutter 2020)

Flow batteries were first developed in the 1980s, by now-Emeritus Professor Maria Skyllas-Kazacos at the University of New South Wales.

“Most of the batteries that we use are enclosed systems,” says Associate Professor Alexey Glushenkov, a chemist and research lead in battery materials at the Australian National University’s Battery Storage and Grid Integration Program.

In the coming decades, renewable energy sources such as solar and wind will increasingly dominate the conventional power grid. Because those sources only generate electricity when it’s sunny or windy, ensuring a reliable grid — one that can deliver power 24/7 — requires some means of storing electricity when supplies are abundant and delivering it later when they’re not. A promising technology for performing that task is the flow battery, an electrochemical device that can store hundreds of megawatt-hours of energy — enough to keep thousands of homes running for many hours on a single charge. Flow batteries have the potential for long lifetimes and low costs in part due to their unusual design. In the everyday batteries used in phones and electric vehicles, the materials that store the electric charge are solid coatings on the electrodes.

A flow battery contains two substances that undergo electrochemical reactions in which electrons are transferred from one to the other. When the battery is being charged, the transfer of electrons forces the two substances into a state that’s “less energetically favourable” as it stores extra energy. (Think of a ball being pushed up to the top of a hill.) When the battery is being discharged, the transfer of electrons shifts the substances into a more energetically favourable state as the stored energy is released. (The ball is set free and allowed to roll down the hill.)

At the core of a flow battery are two large tanks that hold liquid electrolytes, one positive and the other negative. Each electrolyte contains dissolved “active species” — atoms or molecules that will electrochemically react to release or store electrons. During charging, one species is “oxidized” (releases electrons), and the other is “reduced” (gains electrons); during discharging, they swap roles. Pumps are used to circulate the two electrolytes through separate electrodes, each made of a porous material that provides abundant surfaces on which the active species can react. A thin membrane between the adjacent electrodes keeps the two electrolytes from coming into direct contact and possibly reacting, which would release heat and waste energy that could otherwise be used on the grid.

A critical factor in designing flow batteries is the selected chemistry. The two electrolytes can contain different chemicals, but today the most widely used setup has vanadium in different oxidation states on the two sides. That arrangement addresses the two major challenges with flow batteries.

First, vanadium doesn’t degrade. If you put 100 grams of vanadium into your battery and you come back in 100 years, you should be able to recover 100 grams of that vanadium — as long as the battery doesn’t have some sort of a physical leak.

And second, if some of the vanadium in one tank flows through the membrane to the other side, there is no permanent cross-contamination of the electrolytes, only a shift in the oxidation states, which is easily remediated by re-balancing the electrolyte volumes and restoring the oxidation state via a minor charge step. Most of today’s commercial systems include a pipe connecting the two vanadium tanks that automatically transfers a certain amount of electrolyte from one tank to the other when the two get out of balance.

Remote microgrids are perfect for flow batteries of all scales.

They’re not temperature sensitive, like lithium-ion batteries, so they can operate quite comfortably in hot conditions, which is a real benefit. And they’re non-flammable.

Australia has around 18% of the world’s vanadium reserves, mostly in Western Australia – hence Australian Vanadium’s interests. The element is still, mostly, used in steel, but flow batteries are going to change things.

The Soil CRC (CRC for High Performance Soils) was established in 2017 to give farmers the knowledge and tools they need to make decisions on extremely complex soil management issues.
By bridging a gap between soil scientists and farmers, we will ensure that soil performance is increased not just in the short term, but in the long term.
Our practical, real-world outputs will allow farmers to optimise their productivity, yield and profitability, and ensure the long-term sustainability of their farming businesses.
Through its soil research and innovation program, the Soil CRC will develop new solutions that will unlock the potential of Australia’s agricultural sector.
It will address the billions of dollars in lost opportunity experienced by farmers and regional communities due to infertile and underperforming soils.
CRCs are led by passionate and motivated industry partners, and draw in the brightest researchers from across Australia to address issues of national significance.
• New mechanisms for financially rewarding management of high performance soils.
• New integrated soil management solutions that provide greater precision for farmers.
• New ways to measure the performance of soils.
• New advanced and innovative products to increase soil fertility and function.

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.

In an Australian first, The City is also creating an advanced Innovation Hub for the blue economy to test and develop new marine practices and technologies that could help sustain vibrant blue economies across the globe.

Our research forecasts an exponential growth in Cockburn’s defence sector over the next decade.

Like many industries, there is a genuine skills gap within the defence sector, and it’s expected to grow as demand does. Without hubs like the one we’re proposing, this will only become a bigger issue.
Joining us in the world-class Innovation Hub will be researchers collaborating across four major universities. Specialised registered training organisations will provide training and upskilling, while PhD students from UWA will deliver research opportunities and help bring products to market. Finally, equity investor group Perth Angels and not-for-profits Business Station and Business Foundations are also onboard with a focus on providing business advisory support.

Up to 40 Blue Economy businesses will be guided to bring their ideas into commercial reality, with access to services which will build capacity and capability.

As an advanced research hub for the Blue Economy, Cockburn will test and develop new marine practices and technology.
This Innovation Hub was designed to help the City of Cockburn grow local jobs, all of which will increase the wellbeing and quality of life for our communities.

Wine and associated industries, livestock, grain, pulses and horticulture, plus tourism are the main industries in the region.

The Barossa is a world-class region of fine wine endeavour based on a unique story of generations, inheritance and hallowed ground. The Barossa is a home to some of the oldest Shiraz, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Semillon vineyards in the world.

The Barossa Region is SA’s food and wine tourism flagship well supported by trails for cycling, walking and riding. Colonial heritage and culinary traditions inspired by early settlers are alive and well, and modern reinventions have sparkled interest in cultural food experiences including cooking schools, artisan products, farmers markets and restaurants.

Three major contributors to the Region`s agricultural output are broadacre cropping, livestock and fruit production.

The Barossa Region has a rich cultural and historical affinity with horses and a strong growing industry. The Barossa Region is home to a state-of-the art Equine Health and Performance Centre situated in the Roseworthy Campus of the University of Adelaide.

Apprenticeships and traineeships are excellent examples of pathways into work that have proven to be effective. But they are specific to certain occupations.

Apprentices and trainees made up about 10 per cent of the pathways people take into the workforce. He said policymakers needed to create better vocational education and training (VET) courses to give young people stronger options outside universities and apprenticeships.

3.9 million people were enrolled in vocational education and training last year, but up to 2.4 million of those were in short courses such as first aid and construction safety.