The Council
The Future Manufacturing Industry Innovation Council’s particular focus is innovation-intensive, high value-add, export-orientated manufacturing that uses advanced processes, materials and technologies, including the scientific and medical instruments industry, specialist engineering and aerospace industries and related services.
The Council is working with industry to build a strong innovation culture where business, the research sector, the workforce and governments work together and invest in technology and practices that are more productive, cleaner and responsive than those traditionally used.
The Council is helping develop strategies for boosting Australia's competitive advantage and exploiting new and existing opportunities for Australian manufacturers in the global response to climate change, such as sustainable energy and water. These strategies include:
- supporting and promoting innovation in the manufacturing sector;
- identifying emerging industries and opportunities for manufacturers; and
- identifying enabling technologies of significant benefit to industry.
Australia's manufacturing future
The Australian manufacturing sector is a significant contributor to our economy. It produces around 9 per cent of GDP and a third of exports. It also conducts 31 per cent of business R&D.
Australian manufacturers are under increasing pressure from global competition and the rise of low cost, low wage manufacturing economies. Added to that are the changes that will need to be made to reduce emissions and become more sustainable.
The future of the manufacturing industry in Australia is tied to its willingness and capacity to innovate. It needs to focus on high technology, high-skill and high-wage manufacturing where it is globally competitive and where Australia has world-class capabilities and technology.
The Industry Innovation Council initiative
The Future Manufacturing Industry Innovation Council is one of a number of Industry Innovation Councils established by the Australian Government.
The Council was established in October 2008 and Mr Philip Binns, Vice-President and General Manager, Spectroscopy Business, Agilent Technologies appointed as its chair.
Its membership includes leaders in innovation from business, the science and research community, unions, professional associations and the Australian Government. The Council met for the first time in Canberra on 2 December 2008.
What the councils do
The councils have a leadership role in transforming industry. They:
- provide strategic advice on innovation priorities to Ministers;
- champion innovation in industry; and
- build connections and collaborate across councils and with other innovation initiatives and organisations.
Developing partnerships
The Government and its stakeholders are partnering to:
- improve Australian industry's productivity, global competitiveness and market access;
- build a highly skilled and flexible workforce for the 21st century through best practice in employment and training;
- ensure the sustainable development of Australian industry; and
- respond to challenges including climate change and social inclusion.
Contact
For more information about the Future Manufacturing Industry Innovation Council, please contact:
Manager, Future Manufacturing Council Secretariat