Coronavirus shutdowns have exposed Australia's manufacturing gaps, Industry Minister Karen Andrews says
ABCThe coronavirus pandemic has exposed gaps in Australia's manufacturing capability, but "complete self-sufficiency" should not be Australia's goal, according to the Federal Industry Minister. Key points: Global supply chains have been disrupted by coronavirus shutdowns in other countries Global supply chains have been disrupted by coronavirus shutdowns in other countries Local manufacturers have ramped up production of key health and food supplies during the pandemic Local manufacturers have ramped up production of key health and food supplies during the pandemic Karen Andrews says there is a groundswell of support for Australian-made products In a speech to the National Press Club today, Karen Andrews said there was a "a lot of scepticism" that local manufacturers could quickly ramp up demand for personal protective equipment like face masks, ventilators and hand sanitiser in response to COVID-19. The pandemic has brought Australia's reliance on other countries into sharp focus, with Ms Andrews saying disruptions to global supply chains were a wake-up call for many businesses. The Minister said manufacturing had faced its own "existential challenges" over many decades and that while the decline of Australia's car industry attracted a lot of attention, other sectors such as food and beverage production were growing even before the pandemic.