Our focus has been on delivering the South Australian Government’s ambitious economic policy agenda and commitments, developing industry capability, supporting and strengthening research capability, and ensuring this translates into business opportunities, jobs and growth.
Our work aligns with the South Australian Government’s vision, as outlined within its Economic Statement, for a South Australian economy that is smart, sustainable and inclusive.
Developing strategic industrial policy and reinvigorating manufacturing, along with supporting the creative industries, small business, and research and innovation, were key focus areas during 2022-23.
The announcement on 13 March 2023 in the United States of the optimal pathway for Australia’s acquisition of conventionally armed, nuclear powered submarines is historic.
South Australia, as the home of Australia’s submarine construction industry, will be vital to the successful delivery of Australia’s nuclear powered submarine program. And work to deliver a suitably qualified and experienced workforce for the defence industry, including shipbuilding and nuclear powered submarines, commenced in earnest this year.
As Co-Chair of the South Australian Defence Industry Workforce and Skills Taskforce, which has engaged extensively with industry, education, unions and government, the department looks forward to finalising and delivering actions under the skills and workforce plan for the defence industry.
The government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with BAE Systems Australia to partner on building South Australia’s defence industry workforce.
The burgeoning hydrogen industry is another major focus for the South Australian Government. DIIS undertook engagement with industry and community stakeholders to develop a South Australian Hydrogen Workforce Roadmap and engage the local supply chain to ensure our businesses benefit from this large emerging industry.
As Australia and the rest of the world seeks to decarbonise and achieve net zero targets, businesses around the globe are under increased pressure to reduce their emissions. Increasingly, consumers, employees and financial providers are seeking out businesses and employers that are taking proactive steps to reduce their carbon footprints. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for South Australian businesses.
DIIS is collaborating with nine South Australian Government departments to develop a Green Industrial Transition Roadmap, which will provide a plan for South Australia to build sustainable industries in sectors that best leverage our high penetration of renewable energy and natural endowments to build new, low carbon industries and manufacturing opportunities, and transition existing high emitting industries.
We recognise that science, research, and industry collaboration are fundamental drivers of innovation, and we have continued to support research excellence, collaboration, translation and commercialisation through the Research and Innovation Fund and the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy.
DIIS has also been working closely with industry, education, union, and community stakeholders to develop a South Australia Manufacturing Strategy.
The new strategy will set the direction for industry and government collaboration to grow manufacturing and drive South Australia’s economic transition towards a knowledge-based, resilient, and greener economy.
Further to this, though initiatives such as the South Australian Industry Capability Network (ICN) program, it is more important than ever that we connect local suppliers to new business opportunities, building capability and capacity in supply chains across major defence projects.
To ensure businesses have access to the skills they need, particularly in regional South Australia, we’ve continued to deliver skilled, employer-sponsored and business migration programs, with 2022-23 seeing a significant increase in employers utilising the state’s Designated Area Migration Agreements.
The department has been critical to delivering on the government’s commitment to supporting and enabling South Australian small and family business to succeed.
We established the Office for Small and Family Business to provide seamless access to support and resources, and we conducted a comprehensive engagement program with the small business community, harnessing these insights to shape a Small Business Strategy for South Australia.
We launched the Women in Business Program to address the specific barriers that women face in starting, running and growing businesses, and have planned a whole suite of initiatives to increase fundamental business skills, improve digital readiness and cyber awareness, and help small businesses to become more sustainable.
We have also provided critical support to small businesses impacted by the River Murray flooding, both on the ground in the region, and through a range of grants.
The department has continued to support South Australia’s creative industries to grow and thrive.
Through the Music Development Office, we supported South Australian music industry professionals to get back on stages at events and in live music and hospitality venues with See It LIVE e-vouchers, venue upgrade grants, event grants, mental health support, and more.
We have also supported our state’s world-renowned screen industry, preparing to hold the first annual iteration of the iconic Adelaide Film Festival later this year, and supporting the South Australian Film Corporation to launch a workforce development strategy in response to skills shortages in the industry.
We are also contributing to developing a framework for a new state-wide innovation model, which will strategically connect the state’s innovation districts, including Lot Fourteen, Tonsley and Adelaide BioMed City, along with other knowledge and manufacturing hubs, and capitalise on our competitive advantages in defence, space, advanced manufacturing and critical technologies industries.
The opportunity to create a new university – Adelaide University – a combined University of Adelaide and University of South Australia is nationally and internationally significant. The new university would have a mission focused on access and equity, while undertaking research of scale and focus, aligned to the economic priorities of the state.
Looking forward, the department will continue to work with our stakeholders within the higher education sector to not only support the creation of the new Adelaide University, but to drive a high performing, strong higher education sector in South Australia.
The department will work with the higher education sector to deliver the desired outcomes for the state of excellence in research, translation and commercialisation, engagement with industry and business, equity and access for all students, a strong, stable and secure sector and improved integration with vocational education and training.
It has been an incredibly productive and busy year for the department and we remain committed to continuing to drive the state’s economic transformation towards a knowledge-based, resilient and greener economy for the future.