Why should Italy and Australia cooperate in research and development (R&D)?

In order to address the question of Australia and Italy cooperating and commercialising research and development projects, it is necessary to ask what are the existing commercial relationships between these two countries? Are there special commercial synergies which might encourage and promote this relationship? Given that Australia and Italy do not have a strategic alliance like might be the case for Australia and the US, where are the areas of common interest? [Introduction]