Geelong Manufacturing Council welcomed the federal Minister for Industry and Science, The Hon Ed Husic MP, at a GMC & AFCG hosted industry roundtable in collaboration with Member for Corangamite Libby Coker MP in May. During the visit the Minister provided more detail around the National Reconstruction Fund (NRF) and Industry Growth Program.
Geelong Manufacturing Council members from 16 organisations attended the roundtable, and had the opportunity to brief the Minister on the innovative work they’re undertaking and where they see the NRF providing the most value.
GMC members FLAIM Systems and Universal Motion Simulation (UMS) demonstrated their world-class hi-tech products to the Minister at ManuFutures, while Ross George of Austeng provided concrete examples of innovative advanced manufacturing projects primed for commercialisation.
The Minister told the roundtable that the Industry Growth Program will be a “bridge” for products in early commercialisation phase to the NRF.
Peter Meikle, CEO of UMS highlighted that significant support for robust projects utilising proven teams and expertise should be a high priority of the NRF.
The imperative for a shift to highly skilled, smart manufacturing of innovative products was reinforced by Luke Preston of Quickstep.
“Manufacturing is going to smart countries, not cheap countries,” he told the roundtable.
GMC also updated the Minister on GMC’s Seed2STEM program, funded by Department of Industry, Science and Resources’ Women in STEM & Entrepreneurship. This program will raise awareness of, and support women already in, STEM and advanced manufacturing careers in regional areas. Building skills to support a growing and advanced regional manufacturing sector.
Geelong is collaborative and connected region, with an ecosystem that demonstrates successful outcomes time and time again. The importance of this ecosystem as a true competitive advantage for Geelong was highlighted and reinforced to the Minister.
The Minister’s visit to Geelong was co-ordinated by Libby Coker MP, in collaboration with Geelong Manufacturing Council and Advanced Fibre Cluster Geelong.