skip navigation
Home >  Innovation and Industry >  About Us >  Key focus areas >  Industry development

Industry development

Industry development is a key contributing tool to economic development in Western Australia. Find out what we are doing to facilitate industry development, particularly in the areas of marine and defence, minerals and oil and gas services, manufacturing and the digital economy.

Null

Page index

Our role and industries we are currently focussing on

Industry development is a key contributing tool to economic development. We are focussed on facilitating the development of industry sectors or sub-sectors that provide, or have the potential to provide, a high value added contribution to the economy.

Our aim is to help maximise the potential of those sectors; to encourage growth industries that are viable, sustainable and internationally competitive; and to bring further value and wealth to the people of Western Australia.

Our current focus is in the areas of:

  • Marine
  • Defence
  • Minerals and oil and gas services
  • Manufacturing
  • Digital economy.

These sectors will be complemented with investigations into areas for government involvement in new and emerging sectors.

Central to our role will be the coordination of a whole-of-government policy framework that brings together the key player in industry development, identifies priority areas and outlines solutions. We will also play a critical role in the establishment of strategic, common user infrastructure to support priority sectors.

Ongoing improvements to common user facilities

Common user facility – Australian Marine Complex (AMC)

The Western Australian Government aims to ensure the infrastructure available at the Australian Marine Complex (AMC) continues to deliver economic benefits for Western Australia.

To find out more visit the AMC website (www.australianmarinecomplex.com.au).

Common user facilities in the Pilbara

The Pilbara is one of Australia’s most important economic zones, and resource projects under way or planned in the region represent significant opportunities for expansion.

The Department of Commerce and the Pilbara Cities Office of the Department of Regional Development and Lands commissioned a study to look at the potential of developing common use infrastructure in the North West to accommodate this activity.

The study focused on identifying potential locations and the type of facilities and infrastructure needed to support the growth and development of the oil and gas, resources, defence, housing, building and construction industries.

For more information download the Common user facility (CUF) - Pilbara - April 2011 (PDF).

Increasing local industry participation

A range of complex market conditions have contributed to increased levels of competition for contracts arising from Western Australia’s resource developments. Conditions including changes to construction and fabrication technology; greater use of global supply chains and international business models by project proponents; and a strong Australian dollar are all impacting the competitiveness of the State’s local manufacturing industry.

Local industry participation is a high priority for the State Government as a key determinant of the current and future performance of the Western Australian economy.

Find out more about the work we are doing to increase local industry participation.

Ongoing promotion of Western Australian companies

The department is continually looking at ways in which it can help to promote Western Australian businesses, including:

Industry missions to international conferences (The Western Australian Government will lead an industry mission to Offshore Europe 2011 in September, one of the world’s largest oil and gas conferences and exhibitions).

Find out more about our business promotion services.

Western trade coast developments

The Department of Commerce actively participates in the recently established Western Trade Coast (WTC) Industries Committee.

The WTC region comprises the Australian Marine Complex (AMC), the Kwinana Industrial Area, Latitude32 Industry Zone, and the Rockingham Industry Zone. It currently produces $15.5 billion annually and employs 11,600 people.

The WTC Committee provides a forum where the current AMC Business Development and Overarching Committees can raise infrastructure, planning and industry issues
that impact the complex.

The committee will help to create an even stronger focus on the area and assist with attracting further investment, development of industry synergies while delivering more jobs for the local community.