Industry News
New authority needed to transform Australian electricity system
Greens MP Adam Bandt says the Australian energy system is in need of a new statutory authority. He has introduced the Renew Australia Bill 2016 into the House of Representatives to support this endeavour ahead of the upcoming federal election. [ + ]
Budget delivers building industry confidence
Tradies and builders in the nation's $200 billion building industry are big winners from the Budget, according to MBA CEO Wilhelm Harnisch. [ + ]
Battery storage installation guidelines welcomed
New battery storage installation guidelines developed by the Clean Energy Council are being hailed as a welcome step on Australia's path to a low-emissions future, according to Minister for the Environment Greg Hunt. [ + ]
Smart meters and demand response drive growth
The global smart grid data management market will reach US$380 million in revenue by 2020, according to new research by Technavio. At present, the Asia-Pacific region accounts for 16.43% of total revenue. [ + ]
Telstra network review complete
After a troubled few months for Telstra, the company has announced a plan to commit $50 million toward network failure prevention. This comes after a process of review which delivered three key outcomes, according to COO Kate McKenzie. [ + ]
Electric cars driven by fuel cell improvements
CSIRO is working on a new type of membrane which it hopes will boost the performance of fuel cells by a factor of four, subsequently transforming the electric vehicle industry. [ + ]
Smoke alarm legislation changes proposed
Earlier this year, Fire and Emergency Services Minister for Queensland Bill Byrne instigated changes to state legislation around the installation of smoke detectors with the aim of reducing the number of house fire fatalities. New dwellings and properties undergoing substantial renovation must comply from 2017. [ + ]
Road Safety Week targets distraction
An 11% spike in the Australian road toll over the last 12 months is behind a call for the nation's motorists to 'Stop Driving Blind'. In the last year alone, 1200 Australians have lost their lives and 30,000 were seriously injured on our roads, with in-car distraction being identified as a leading cause of crashes. [ + ]
Finns first in 5G development environment
From the nation that gave us Nokia, the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the University of Oulu are partnering to build what is touted as a "globally unique technology environment". [ + ]
New program for women in building
The Turnbull government has announced a pilot mentoring program to support women in the building and construction industry. [ + ]
ANZ inks deal with Apple
ANZ is the first of the big four banks to enter into an agreement with Apple to support the Apple Pay digital wallet service. All four had previously agreed to support the Google Android pay system. The bank joins American Express, which has supported Apple Pay since late 2015. [ + ]
Board shuffle for nbn
Former iiNet CEO Michael Malone has been appointed as a director to nbn's board for the next three years, replacing outgoing Internode founder Simon Hackett. [ + ]
Trimble to showcase new CarCube
Trimble will be showcasing its next-generation CarCube onboard computer at the International Truck, Trailer and Equipment Show (5–7 May, Melbourne). [ + ]
TR acquired by Vp plc for $17m
Equipment specialist company TR Pty Ltd, owner of TechRentals, has been bought out by UK company Vp plc for $17 million. [ + ]
Fiat Scudo brake issue recall
Fiat Chrysler Australia (FCA) advises that certain vehicles in the Scudo van (2013) range may incorporate non-conforming front brake discs. This defect may result in an accident and therefore represents a risk to drivers and occupants. [ + ]
