As a 35-year-old business services law firm, we have spent decades working with both private and public sector clients across Western Australia and internationally.
Our experience spans the resources industry, from explorers to mid and large-scale producers, and extends into technology, where we help Australian companies protect their intellectual property, expand internationally and negotiate with US multinationals and venture capital firms.
Having insight across both resources and technology has given us a clear view of the trends shaping Western Australia’s future, particularly in energy, automation and innovation.
The power challenge
Energy cost and production will define the next decade for WA. Despite being an oil and gas powerhouse, electricity prices continue to rise, even as more households install solar and battery systems. The problem is not demand but supply. While battery investment has increased, capital investment in renewable generation has lagged behind.
Wholesale power prices rose 27 per cent in the September quarter alone, continuing an upward trend since 2021. Expanding mining operations and the rapid growth of data centres, driven by artificial intelligence, will keep pushing demand higher.
This is not just a local challenge. In the United States, AI already consumes about 4 per cent of total electricity, and that figure is expected to triple within five years. The AI boom is not just about microchips; it is about power generation, grid efficiency and renewable energy storage.
WA is well placed to benefit if the right infrastructure and investment are put in place. We are working with clients developing technologies that reduce heat footprints by up to 90 per cent, cut energy use by half and introduce large-scale portable battery containers capable of storing five megawatt hours. We are also seeing significant merger and acquisition activity in this space, from both Australian and overseas investors, particularly from the United States.
Even before recent discussions between the Albanese and Trump administrations on rare earths, Western Australia had already attracted interest from US venture capital and companies seeking not only our minerals but also our intellectual property in emerging technologies.
The rise of automation
Automation is transforming every sector of the economy. Digitally, it is streamlining processes, improving asset management and creating data-driven efficiencies. Physically, robotics, sensors and smart systems are changing how industries operate.
Many of our clients are leading this shift. Some began as startups a decade ago and now supply advanced automation solutions to mining, oil and gas and construction companies around the world.
Others have reinvented industrial technologies that have since been adopted internationally. Seeing their growth from local innovators to global exporters has been one of the most rewarding parts of our work.
Backing innovation: Private capital steps up
Innovation in WA has been supported by strong resource revenues and the federal government’s R&D tax incentive. However, the most exciting momentum is now coming from private capital, particularly family offices.
Traditionally focused on property and resources, many WA family offices are now diversifying into technology and biotech. They are backing startups and scale-ups with both funding and expertise, often moving faster than traditional venture capital funds.
For many of our clients, having a family office investor has provided the support and confidence needed when negotiating with larger venture capital groups, including those in the United States.
These investors are often entrepreneurs who have built and sold successful WA companies and now want to reinvest in local innovation. Their involvement has helped drive a surge of private investment into the state’s technology ecosystem and is contributing to WA’s evolution from a resource exporter to a knowledge and technology leader.
A bright future
Western Australia is at a defining moment. Our resources continue to generate wealth, but the real opportunity lies in how we use it. By investing in innovation, energy technology and automation, we can ensure that WA remains at the forefront of global progress.
At MPH, we are proud to work alongside the companies, investors and innovators driving this transformation. The next chapter of Western Australia’s growth is already unfolding, and we look forward to continuing to play our part in shaping it.
