Australia measures productivity and R&D but neglects consistent data on business investment in skills. Too often, employers call for government subsidies rather than funding structured training themselves. In an economy shaped by AI, quantum and digital disruption, innovation requires companies to take responsibility for workforce upskilling. Without systemic change linking growth to human capital development, Australia risks falling further behind its international competito

The tectonic shifts in the global economy—from manufacturing to services, from tangible goods to intangible assets—demand more than incremental adjustments to our statistical and analytical frameworks, Australia, a nation increasingly powered by services and innovation, risks undermining its competitiveness by clinging to an outdated framework. The case for adopting modern, flexible, and globally aligned industry classification systems has never been more compelling.

Australia has achieved remarkable success in consumer-facing applications. But it faces a crucial challenge developing platform technologies