The Light Industry Project is a six-year pilot focused on the uplift and modernisation of older industrial precincts. The Project is based in Kunda Park - a fifty year old industrial and manufacturing precinct on the Sunshine Coast that is home of 400 businesses and supports employment for 4,500 workers.

Nationally, an estimated 1,000 older industrial precincts are home to several hundred thousand small and medium businesses. They support around 3 million jobs, contribute upwards of $250 billion to the national economy and are vital to supply chains, sovereign capability and the transition to net zero. 

Despite these important contributions to the national economy, many older industrial precincts have been neglected and have fallen behind the infrastructure standards that are the benchmark for new industrial developments - causing a drag on productivity. Common issues include road access and congestion, public transport, broadband and mobile connectivity, ageing infrastructure, freight access, power supply and worker amenities. These challenges are often compounded by a lack of precinct-level governance, communication and coordination. As a result, many productive industrial areas have become planning and investment blind spots.

Light Industry is taking a precinct focused, place-based, partnership-driven, evidence-based approach to building partnerships shining a light on these challenges and opportunities.