Today’s technology developments are moving forward at a fast pace. 3D printing has revolutionised the world and the challenge to introduce these new technologies is very real, and how do we manage these new developments ethically and with so many complexities?

We’re told, it’s been proven that we can print a house at a fraction of the cost. We can print food with the same nutritional value. There will be less waste, safer jobs, better quality products available and it will help grow regional areas of Australia. How will this impact current industries like farming and construction and what future industries will it create?

Dubai alone have set a target that 25% of buildings will be printed by 2030. So where does Australia fit into all this? Is Australia falling behind in this technology mainly due to strict regulations? We know the technology is coming, we just don’t know when. We need to prepare for it now, however how do we do this? Educating people for jobs that don’t exist yet is a difficult task. Preparing for something when we have no idea when it’s coming is a huge challenge that exists today.

This technology is coming whether we like it or not. Standards and regulations will be challenging and we need to embrace the change with a strong focus on Ethics, people and communities.

Together we can implement and support these changes to improve our region and for the benefit of our future generations.

Adam Kent, 2018 Program Participant, 06/03/19