
Would a corporate tax cut boost productivity in Australia?
Isaac Gross, Lecturer in Economics, Monash University The first term of the Albanese government was defined by its fight against inflation, but the second looks like it will be defined by a need to kick start Australia’s sluggish productivity growth. Productivity is essentially the art of earning more while working […]

Do or die: Why “transformation at scale” is now a must for Australian manufacturers
By Paul Eastwood Australian Managing Partner of global management consultancy, Argon & Co Australian manufacturers can’t survive on a BAU basis. The game has changed and it’s no longer about incremental improvements in the world of manufacturing – it’s about transformation at scale. So this is a wake-up call for […]

ON Accelerate 9 showcases national innovation potential in deep tech
CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, celebrated the progress and achievements of its latest ON Accelerate cohort at a showcase in Melbourne yesterday. ON Accelerate tackles the barriers that hold deep tech research back, fast-tracking breakthrough ideas into real-world applications and market-ready ventures. The showcase highlighted the incredible strides made […]

Got Solar? Share the power: National energy trial needs volunteers
Australians with rooftop solar are being invited to take part in a first-of-its-kind research project exploring how communities can buy and sell clean energy directly with each other. Led by Deakin Business School, the Virtual Energy Network (VEN) study is testing how households and small businesses can benefit from peer-to-peer […]

Kemppi Australia launches 2025 Art of Welding Competition
Kemppi Australia has officially opened entries for its 2025 Art of Welding Competition, a unique event celebrating creativity in metalwork. Participants are invited to showcase their welding artistry through sculptures, patterned designs, motifs, or crafted objects. Entries can be created using traditional manual welding or advanced techniques such as robotics, […]

Riviera awarded Apprenticeships Leadership Medal
Riviera, Australia’s largest and most awarded luxury motor yacht builder, is proud to announce it has been recognised with the prestigious Australian Apprenticeships Leadership Medal 2025. The honour was awarded to Riviera’s Apprentice and Training Manager, Keira Badke, at the inaugural Manufacturing Industries Group Apprenticeship Scheme (MIGAS) Apprentices & Trainees […]

AREMA calls for urgent reform on incentives for hot water heat pumps
New South Wales and Victoria, supported by initiatives taken by the Commonwealth Government, created bold programs to support electrification and net zero through providing rebates to home and business owners that install hot water heat pumps. While well intentioned, there are major flaws within these programs, including: Safety – some […]

Australia and Japan’s top engineers show the way for a renewable hydrogen sector
Australia and Japan’s joint technological expertise can lead the way in international clean energy, according to a joint report focussing on hydrogen, released today. This partnership will lead to new jobs, cleaner industry, and economic benefits for both nations.The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) and The Engineering […]

Australian-based Protective Industrial Products completes acquisition of Honeywell’s Personal Protective Equipment Business
Protective Industrial Products, Inc. has completed the acquisition of Honeywell’s Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Business. The acquired business includes globally recognised brands such as Fendall™, Fibre-Metal™, Howard Leight™, Bisley Workwear™, Puma Safety™, Morning Pride™, North™, Oliver™, Salisbury™, and others. The move marks a significant step in Australian-based PIP’s growth journey, […]
Year13 is growing up with appointment of ex-Atlassian leadership
In a bold move to double down on becoming an AI native company and expanding globally. Atlassian’s Pirow Cronje has been appointed Head of Operations at Year13 as the youth-focused tech company moves to become 100% AI native. Cronje will lead the optimisation of Year13’s product, tech and commercial […]
Technology is transforming Road Safety, but we still have a long way to go
Commentary by Luke Olsen, Managing Director APAC at Microlise Heavy vehicle crashes are on the rise, and it’s not hard to see why. With more trucks on the road than ever before, driven by booming freight demand and pressure to meet tighter delivery windows, the risks are increasing. According to […]
Spirit Marine appointed distribution partner for Sunpower Yachts
Leading Queensland boat dealer Spirit Marine has been appointed the exclusive distributor for solar electric yacht company Sunpower Yachts. This partnership will see Spirit Marine promote Sunpower and its range of Solar e-Cruiser, Solar e-Sail, Solar e-Poweryachts, Solar e-Superyachts exclusively to the Queensland market. Following its recent acquisition of Alva […]

Would a corporate tax cut boost productivity in Australia?
Isaac Gross, Lecturer in Economics, Monash University The first term of the Albanese government was defined by its fight against inflation, but the second looks like it will be defined by a need to kick start Australia’s sluggish productivity growth. Productivity is essentially the art of earning more while working less and is critical for driving our standard of living higher. The Productivity Commission, tasked with figuring out how to get Australia’s sluggish productivity back on track, is pushing hard for corporate tax cuts as a key part of their plan for building a “dynamic and resilient economy”. The idea? Lower taxes will attract more foreign investment, get businesses spending again and eventually boost workers’ productivity. Commission chair, Danielle Wood, said last week while the commission wanted to create more investment opportunities, it was aware this would hit the budget bottom line: So we’re looking at ways to spur investment while finding other ways we might be able to pick up revenue in the system. The general company tax rate is currently 30% for large firms, and there’s a reduced rate of 25% for smaller companies with an overall turnover of less than A$50 million. What the textbooks and other countries tell us The Productivity Commission’s theory makes sense: if you make capital cheaper and you should get more of it flowing in. A larger stock of capital means there is more to invest in Australian workers. This should make us more productive and help boost workers’ wages. And looking overseas, the evidence mostly backs this up. A meta-analysis of 25 studies covering the US, UK, Japan, France, Germany, Canada, Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, Switzerland, Denmark, Portugal and Finland found every percentage point you slice off the corporate tax rate brings in about 3.3% more foreign direct investment. Other research shows multinational companies really do move their operations […]