Submission to the Department of Industry, Science and Resources

We welcomed the opportunity to contribute to the consultation on domestic manufacturing of wind and transmission infrastructure. Our submission addresses the key themes raised in the consultation guidance: the outlook for domestic wind and transmission manufacturing, the enabling conditions required for sustained private investment, supply chain capability and gaps, workforce development, and the role of government policy. We also raise a number of related enabling conditions, including transport infrastructure, technical standardisation, planning reform and circular economy coherence, that are not always treated as manufacturing policy issues but that bear directly on the viability of domestic manufacturing at scale.

Our overarching view is that the case for supporting domestic manufacturing in this sector is strong, and that well-designed policy can deliver real and lasting benefits for Australian industry, workers and communities. However, realising this opportunity requires a clear-eyed understanding of the market context, the evolving technology landscape, and the enabling conditions on which manufacturing investment depends.