Modern Manufacturing Initiative and National Manufacturing Priorities announced

The Australian Government has announced a $1.3 billion Modern Manufacturing Initiative, and the National Manufacturing Priorities.
1 October 2020
  • News

min read

Manufacturing
Modern Manufacturing Initiative and National Manufacturing Priorities announced logo

$1.3 billion for a new Modern Manufacturing Initiative and the National Manufacturing Priorities.

The Australian Government has announced a $1.3 billion Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI) and the National Manufacturing Priorities.   

Modern Manufacturing Initiative

The $1.3 billion MMI will drive lasting change for Australian manufacturers.

It will help Australian manufacturers:

  • scale-up
  • collaborate
  • commercialise

It will unlock private sector investment and support manufacturers to deliver on the world stage.

The MMI will provide co‑funding for large manufacturing projects that have broad sectoral benefits across the National Manufacturing Priorities. It will unlock private sector investment across three targeted streams.

  • Manufacturing Collaboration Stream
  • Manufacturing Translation Stream
  • Manufacturing Integration Stream

All streams will operate on a co-investment basis.

Eligible applicants will be confined to trading corporations. There will be no specific business size requirements. Funding will be focused on supporting businesses to scale.

The Manufacturing Collaboration Stream

The Manufacturing Collaboration Stream provides funding for very large projects that support business-to-business and business-to-research collaboration, to build economies of scale.

Commonwealth funding will be provided on a co-investment basis and will be up to one third of eligible project costs.

Guidelines, including detailed eligibility and merit criteria, will be available prior to the program opening.

The Manufacturing Translation and Integration Streams

The Manufacturing Translation stream will help manufacturers translate good ideas into commercial outcomes. It will also encourage investment in non-R&D innovation.

The Manufacturing Integration stream will help manufacturers integrate into local and international supply chains and markets.

Commonwealth funding will be provided on a co-investment basis and will be up to 50% of eligible project costs.

The application process for these two streams will be a one-stage process.

There will be annual funding rounds, beginning in the first half of 2021.

Guidelines, including detailed eligibility and merit criteria, will be available prior to funding rounds opening.  

National Manufacturing Priorities

To turbo-charge Australian manufacturing the Modern Manufacturing Strategy will focus on areas of comparative advantage and strategic importance.

The National Manufacturing Priorities are:

  1. Resources Technology & Critical Minerals Processing
  2. Food & Beverage
  3. Medical Products
  4. Recycling & Clean Energy
  5. Defence
  6. Space

The Minister announced initiatives to transform Australian manufacturing on 1 October 2020.

Read more in Make it Happen: The Australian Government’s Modern Manufacturing Strategy

Watch the Modern Manufacturing Strategy video

COVID-19 has shaken and changed the world.

But history has shown that through adversity, greatness can be borne.

Australian manufacturers have risen to the challenge to deliver during COVID-19.

Now the Australian Government is unlocking their potential to deliver for our future.

Tinkering at the edges is not an option.

Our $1.3 billion Modern Manufacturing Initiative will help Australian manufacturers to grow and take on the world … because when they do it creates high-paid, lasting jobs – not just for this recovery, but for generations to come.

The Initiative will see us playing to our strengths – targeting our investment to areas where we have an advantage or a strategic priority.

Australians instinctively know that strong, successful manufacturing businesses make for a stronger country.

And by backing them - we’re sending a clear signal that not only is Australia open for business, but we mean business.

Let’s “Make it Happen”.