Why Choose SA?
Adelaide, South Australia - is Austalia's most cost-competitive city for business and the third most cost-competitive in the world in its population bracket, based on an international comparison of 102 global cities.
Source: KPMG Competitive Alternatives Study 2008
South Australia enjoys a Triple A credit rating awarded by international ratings agency Standard & Poor’s for its “low net debt, revenue growth and commitment to a prudent level of spending over the next two to three years”.
Source: Standard & Poor’s RatingsDirect, September 2005
South Australia has an advanced manufacturing, technology and research base and is home to some of the world’s leading companies in the sectors of defence, food and wine, resources, information and communications technology, and automotive.
South Australia’s businesses are the most innovative in the nation, and they invest strongly in research and development.
Major projects totalling $44.8 billion in value are either in progress or proposed in South Australia.
And our quality of life is second-to-none. Independent surveys consistently rank Adelaide as one of the world’s most preferred cities in which to live.
Facts
• Adelaide: rated as one of the world’s best business destinations of 127 cities surveyed worldwide.
Source: The Economist Intelligence Unit Dec 2007
• Adelaide: seventh most liveable city in the world.
Source: The Economist Intelligence Unit Dec 2007
• Adelaide: the third lowest business costs in its population bracket of 500,000 to 1.5 million people.
Source: KPMG Competitive Alternatives Study 2008
• Among the world's most cost-competitive locations for key industry sectors including automotive, aerospace, medical devices, precision manufacturing, plastics, and web and multimedia.
Source: KPMG Competitive Alternatives Study 2008
• Adelaide: among the world’s least expensive cities in which to live.
Source: Mercer Consulting Group, 2008 Cost of Living Survey
• Home to three well-established universities and, most recently, Carnegie Mellon - top in ICT and the only United States university in Australia.
Reasons to Invest
Business Environment
South Australia is highly affordable. The State offers great economic value and is one of the easiest and most cost-competitive locations in which to set up a business.
After surveying 102 cities around the world with more than 100,000 people and four Australian capital cities, international business consulting firm KPMG ranked Adelaide as:
• the most cost-competitive city for business in Australia;
• the third most cost-competitive city in the world in its population bracket (500,000–1.5 million);
• in the top most cost-competitive cities in the world in key industry sectors such as automotive, aerospace, medical devices, precision manufacturing, plastics, and web and multimedia.
Property, Land and Construction Costs
• Some of the lowest rents in Australia – including prime office, commercial and industrial property, and factory space.
• Competitively priced industrial land – among the lowest cost in the Asia-Pacific.
• Well-located, useable land among the highest quality in Australia.
• Fast planning approval times.
• Low energy costs.
Labour Supply & Cost
• Talented and cost-competitive workforce.
• Average weekly incomes among the most competitive of any mainland Australian State or Territory.
• One of Australia’s best industrial relations environments.
Strategic Position
With almost half its exports going to the Asia-Pacific , South Australia is a strategically positioned business base.
Adelaide is at the junction of Australia’s major north-south and east-west road, rail and air corridors. A direct 3,000-kilometre railway connecting Adelaide to Darwin, in the Northern Territory, opens the State to markets in the Asia-Pacific region.
The $260 million Adelaide Airport expansion and infrastructure developments at Port Adelaide provide air and sea facilities for exporters. International air services link Adelaide to all the major Asian hubs with easy connections to the United Kingdom and Europe. The airport is a 15 minute drive from the city centre.
South Australia invests heavily in its IT infrastructure and enjoys world-class, cost-competitive telecommunications.
South Australia’s strategic time zone advantages enable companies in Europe and the United States to ‘follow the sun’ and operate 24 hours a day. The time zone bridges the close of United States markets and the opening of Europe, and is in line with most Asia-Pacific centres. The standard time difference between Adelaide and Beijing, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore and Malaysia is less than two hours.
Innovation and Research
Creativity – an innovative approach to problem solving and an ability to think outside the square – is an important element of the business culture in South Australia. This approach, combined with the fast adoption of new ideas, has earned the State a reputation as a spirited, forward-thinking and productive investment destination.
South Australia has significant research and development strengths, both academically and industrially, including universities, co-operative research centres, government research and testing organisations, and commercial capacities.
From 2001 to 2003, 45.9% of South Australian businesses undertook innovation, the highest of all Australian states. A comparison with members of the European Union in the same period showed South Australia coming within 0.1% of outperforming every country in terms of the share of businesses undertaking innovation.
The South Australian ration of gross expenditure on research and development (GERD incorporates expenditure by business, government, higher education and private non-profit) to GSP was 2.02% in 2004-05. This was the highest of all states and enhances South Australia’s reputation as a centre for world-class research and development.
Government Support
The South Australian Government helps potential investors identify appropriate business partners and secure rapid and straightforward approvals for new projects. More...
Constellation SA
Constellation SA is a new South Australian research endeavour consisting of five foundation precincts: agriculture and horticulture; manufacturing and defence industries; life and medical sciences and preventative health; bioscience; and environmental sciences.
Each precinct is concentrating its efforts on a specific theme of research and industry activity that aligns with South Australia’s strengths or areas of opportunity. Visit Constellation SA for more information.
Back to top
