How Australia Can Keep Its Economy Growing

Australian Economy & Resource Dependence - Australia's economic growth has been driven by natural resources for three decades, but future growth requires innovation and investment [1] - The Australian economy has a narrow base heavily reliant on mining and resources [10][11] - Commodity earnings are expected to fall to 271 billion US dollars (approximately 385 billion Australian dollars) due to falling prices and an uncertain global economy [12] Innovation & Investment - Australia spends only 1.7% of GDP on research and development, below the OECD average of 2.7% [15] - There is a lack of interested growth capital in Australia, with foreign direct investment making up 80% of a world record setting Series B funding round for one company [2] - Increased investment as a share of GDP is needed, potentially through lower taxes or a more competitive tax system and reduced regulation [13][14] Talent & Policy - Australia needs to invest in universities and research and development, while also sending clear policy signals that it is open for international students [23] - Encouraging skilled migration, particularly from young people, could add 30 billion dollars to the economy [24] - Deliberate and purposeful policies are needed to attract talented people to Australia, leveraging the livability of its cities [25][26] Quantum Technology & GPS Disruption - Quantum technology is an emerging field with applications in areas like navigation without GPS [5][7] - GPS reliability has diminished, with almost a thousand commercial aviation flights disrupted daily since March 2024 due to deliberate GPS jamming [6] - Q-Control is developing technology to navigate without GPS using quantum sensing [7]