By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A South-East manufacturers’ body welcomed the state Liberal Nationals’ pledged $2.5 billion “smarter” manufacturing fund but is awaiting more detail.
South East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance chief executive Vonda Fenwick said the plan was “positive news” but its focus on six strategic areas was “too narrow”.
Ms Fenwick said there were at least 63 manufacturing sectors not specifically included, such as composites, fiberglass, concrete and fabricated metals.
The fund’s priority sectors would be health & medicine; clean energy, zero emissions and recycling; food, fibre and beverages; rare earth and mineral processing; defence, transport, aerospace technology; and digital transformation.
“They’re important sectors but we believe that leaves a lot of industry sectors out in the cold.
“However we love the fact that the politicians are all thinking manufacturing and talking manufacturing.
“That’s a big move forward.”
At a Senate inquiry into manufacturing on 8 December, Ms Fenwick said a federal scheme targeting the same six sectors could have more effectively funded companies doing other “innovative things”.
She cited the example of $1 million being used in the food area to develop a new confectionary bar.
“But if I took that same million dollars and gave $100,000 each to 10 SMEs—and I’ve spoken to two SMEs in the last couple of weeks that could do really good things with that money to develop new products in the spaces they’re in.
“We could have really innovative things happening with that money in some of the little powerhouse SMEs.”
Ms Fenwick told Star Journal that she was hopeful that manufacturing heartland in Melbourne’s South East would qualify for some of the Coalition’s $1 billion pledged for regional Victoria.
Opposition leader Matthew Guy said the plan would make Victoria “the manufacturing engine room of the nation once again”.
“By making Victoria’s largest ever investment in manufacturing, we will deliver meaningful careers for workers, opportunity for business and hope for local communities.”
“This investment means certainty Victorian small business, families, workers and communities to rebuild and recover with confidence.”
Manufacturing opposition spokesperson Bridget Vallence said the “largest ever investment in manufacturing” would “revitalize” and “unlock a new wave of smarter manufacturing”.
