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Welcome everyone to the Industry Growth Centres Showcase.

It’s great to be able to do this here at Parliament House before the parliamentary year comes to a close.

What this Showcase demonstrates is the role the Liberal-National Government’s Industry-led Growth Centres have in driving six key sectors of competitive strength and strategic priority to Australia.

As you look around, you’ll see each of these Growth Centres and sectors highlighted:

• advanced manufacturing
• cyber security
• food and agribusiness
• medical technologies and pharmaceuticals
• mining equipment, technologies and services
• and oil, gas, and energy resources.

The common focus across the Centres is getting industry and researchers working together, and managers and workers properly skilled, to support Australia’s transition to smart, high value, export-focused industries.

These Growth Centres are led by sector experts who are critical to their success; and there are some people here today who I would like to acknowledge.
In particular:

• John Grill AO, Chair of the Growth Centres Advisory Committee,

Thank you for contributing your depth of industry experience and expertise in guiding the Growth Centre initiative.

I’d also like to acknowledge the Chairs and CEOs of each the Industry Growth Centres and those industry partners who have been able to join us today.

Thank you too to my Parliamentary colleagues who’ve made time to be here in this busy final sitting week, and to Dr Heather Smith, the Secretary of the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science.

The Industry Growth Centres Initiative is fundamentally about industries setting their own plans for long-term growth and profitability.

To make these plans a reality, the Liberal- National Government acts as an enabler and partner, through investment and support that sit alongside industries’ own contribution. 

If I can give just one example—from our cyber security sector—one that we are positioning to become a global leader in cyber security solutions and skills.

Last week saw the release of two landmark cyber security reports driven by Growth Centre, AustCyber.

Both releases spoke of the huge potential for Australian jobs and economic growth from having a strong Cyber-Security sector - and the influence it can have on making other Australian industries more competitive.

To explain the importance of the Growth Centres more broadly, since they were established in 2015—only 3 short years ago—they’ve made some incredible progress.

They’ve engaged with over 25,000 firms, research organisations and industry associations.

They’ve committed over $46 million to more than 100 collaborative projects – having leveraged over $63.2 million from industry and research partners, together these projects are worth more than $109 million.

In addition, the Growth Centres:

• have helped over 150 Australian businesses secure contracts and grow export sales,
• and they’ve connected many hundreds more to potential markets and supply chains, here and overseas.

Because of this success, today, I am pleased to announce the Liberal- National Government is extending funding to all six Growth Centres for a further two years so this transformational work can continue.

This $60 million investment shows we are committed to this initiative – it is clearly proving to be instrumental in building the global competitiveness, exports, and workforces of the six sector industries, with spill-over opportunities and benefits for many more.

The Coalition is investing in great Australian ideas to grow existing businesses, as well as creating new ones, because growing these businesses will create more local jobs.

The Centres also play a crucial role in supporting the delivery of the Liberal-National Government’s other key industry development programs.

I really want to encourage you to spend your time here talking with our Growth Centre experts about the detail and impact of their work.

Surrounding us today are great examples of Australian industry. I feel enormously optimistic about the future of all sectors and what that means for a prosperous Australian economy.

Many thanks.

Media contact: Minister Andrews' office 02 6277 7070