The federal government has highlighted the manufacturing sector as a crucial component of its national COVID-19 economic recovery. Following the announcement of the $1.5 billion Modern Manufacturing Strategy in late 2020, the $1.3 billion Modern Manufacturing Initiative provided grants to six key sectors of manufacturing and is likely to be an election issue in 2022.
In September, SEMMA made a submission to the Senate Economics Committee Inquiry into the Australian Manufacturing Industry recommending policy initiatives to drive growth in the Australian manufacturing sector.
Our recommendations included:
- Appointment of a dedicated Minister for Manufacturing
- Development of a national manufacturing strategy, elevating the current national “plan” into action
- Government procurement subjected to local content requirements
- Increased support for manufacturers investing in research and development
- Industry informed training to invest in a future-ready workforce
- Investing in local semiconductor development and production as a key component of our capability going forward
SEMMA President Peter Angelico and CEO Vonda Fenwick have been invited to present our proposal to the Economics References Committee hearing
Following this submission, SEMMA are pleased to announce that we have been invited to present our recommendations to the Economics References Committee hearing on Wednesday 8 December 2021. This is an excellent opportunity for SEMMA to represent our local members’ interests directly to the Economics References Committee and occupy a space which has traditionally only been offered to large-scale, national industry bodies.
