Australia’s search for an industrial policy has been long and contested. Centralised models drawn from small unitary states do not fit the realities of a vast federation with diverse regional economies. This Insight argues that the way forward is mission-oriented and place-based: the Commonwealth defines national missions and platforms, while States and regions adapt and deliver through their own specialisations, building resilience, competitiveness, and innovation.

Since 1963, Australia’s federal industry portfolio has been restructured more than 20 times. This extraordinary level of administrative churn exposes a deeper crisis: a persistent uncertainty about the purpose, priorities, and pathways of industrial policy. This Innovation Insight calls for a reevaluation of institutional maturity—one that strikes a balance between executive flexibility and enduring strategic direction.

Modern public administration is now defined by systemic complexity, marked by institutional fragmentation, overloaded systems, and the rise of symbolic reformism. Today’s policy failures are not just technical—they’re conceptual. Consensus without strategic alignment, reform without clear problem framing, and consultation without coherence all contribute to a landscape where governments “do more” but achieve less.