The Australian Government has announced a $107.2 million Supply Chain Resilience Initiative. This is part of the Government’s JobMaker plan.
Government and industry have worked together during the COVID-19 pandemic to rapidly address critical supply needs.
This experience taught us that we need to be on the front foot and this Initiative will position Australia to respond to future supply chain disruptions.
Understanding supply chains
To build a comprehensive understanding of critical supply chains, the government will work with industry to:
- identify the essential goods and services critical to Australians at times of crisis
- map industry supply chains and Australia’s manufacturing capabilities
- evaluate supply chain resilience under normal circumstances and in possible crisis situations
We will work with industry to identify supply options to address vulnerabilities in domestic and international supply chains for identified critical products. The outcomes of this work will be published in Sovereign Manufacturing Capability Plans.
Domestic and international supply vulnerabilities
The government will work with industry to identify supply options for critical products to address vulnerabilities in domestic and international supply chains.
This could mean:
- long-term international supply contracting
- domestic manufacturing
- broader activities to promote better information sharing and collaboration between industry and governments
Eligiblity criteria
From 1 July 2021, businesses can access support to establish or scale a capability that addresses a supply chain vulnerability.
To be eligible for funding, projects will need to:
- demonstrate they address a supply chain vulnerability for a critical product or input identified in a Sovereign Manufacturing Capability Plan
- result in measurable strengthening of the supply chain
Guidelines outlining eligibility and merit criteria will be made available in the first half of 2021.
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