Objective
Facilitate the development of a stronger, more internationally competitive and sustainable Australian chemicals and plastics industry.
Significance for Australia
The diverse chemicals and plastics industry includes the manufacture of chemicals, paints, plastics and rubber products. Industry value added in 2005-06 was $9 billion, representing nearly nine per cent of total manufacturing. The industry employs approximately 80,000 people, or nearly eight per cent of total manufacturing employment.
About 75 per cent of Australian chemicals and plastics production is used in other manufacturing processes including automotive, building and construction, and packaging.
Departmental role and current achievements
The Department's work with industry in the past identified initiatives needed to be taken by government and industry to improve the performance of the industry in securing new investments and improve its share of the domestic and export markets. Areas of particular interest were regulatory reform, innovation and export, investment, and education and training.
Recently, the Department has focussed much of its activity on chemicals and plastics industry policy towards progressing the Government's regulatory reform agenda. July 2008 will see the release of the Productivity Commission's study of chemicals and plastics regulation in Australia. The study will inform the work of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Ministerial Taskforce on chemical regulation reform, which had its first meeting in May 2008.
Targets for 2008-09
- Continue to work with industry to build on past achievements.
For further information:
Phone: +61 2 6213 7787
Email: chemplas@innovation.gov.au
Web: www.innovation.gov.au/chemicals
May 2008