Federal Liberal Senator Jonno Duniam and State Minister for Advanced Manufacturing and Defence Industries, Madeleine Ogilvie, have today called for bipartisan Federal-State co-operation on the delivery of the AUKUS defence pact to ensure that Tasmania attains its fair share of benefits from the deal.
Senator Duniam and Minister Ogilvie welcomed the deal while visiting Hobart defence manufacturer CBG Systems, highlighting the opportunities for local Tasmanian industry.
“The potential spinoffs for Tasmanian industry and Tasmanian workers from the AUKUS agreement are substantial,” said Senator Duniam.
“If they’re managed and harnessed successfully, then major new investments and job opportunities can clearly flow to Tasmania.”
“Tasmania’s State and Federal Liberal representatives are therefore advocating for the Albanese Government to immediately create openings for engagement for Tasmanian businesses so that our State can best capitalise on this nation-building defence deal.”
Minister Ogilvie said the State Government has been working hard across the commercial and research sectors to connect into the AUKUS framework for the long-term benefit of Tasmanians – and that this activity should now be given even further impetus.
“We want to maximize hi-tech work opportunities for a new generation of Tasmanians, and the AUKUS deal can potentially significantly advance that goal,” said Minister Ogilvie.
“We will be looking for specific opportunities for involvement by Tasmanian companies in the submarine build, in particular.”
Minister Ogilvie also encouraged Tasmanian-based manufacturing businesses to urgently consider their potential eligibility for funding from the Advanced Manufacturing Accelerating Growth Grant program. Applications for round four of the program opened in January this year, and close tomorrow.
Through the first three rounds of the program, 27 projects have received $2.19 million in funding, supporting a total investment of $9.2 million in innovative projects.
“The manufacturing sector already generates more than $7 billion in turnover a year and employs some 18,000 Tasmanians – and we can capitalise on the AUKUS deal to drive even greater opportunity and activity.”