The House Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Resources has released its report for its inquiry into food and beverage manufacturing in Australia, titled Food for Thought: The opportunities and challenges for Australia’s food and beverage manufacturing industry. The report has made 23 recommendations.
The Chair of the committee Rob Mitchell MP said: “By 2040, the global population is expected to reach nine billion. This will shape the global economic and consumer landscape, and Australia is well-positioned to capitalise on its ‘clean and green’ reputation and ability to innovate and expand product range to further increase its market share, both domestically and internationally.
“This inquiry found many opportunities for expanding the Australian food and beverage manufacturing sector. These include export opportunities, integrating new technologies, building on Australia’s reputational and competitive advantages, and adding value to raw products to produce high-value goods,” he said.
“The Committee has made several recommendations to take advantage of these opportunities, including developing a National Food Plan, increasing AusTrade assistance for small and medium enterprises looking to export Australian food and beverage products to Asia, identifying skills shortages in the industry, and supporting automation technologies.”
Further information on the inquiry can be obtained from the inquiry website.
A welcome response
Following an inquiry into Food and Beverage Manufacturing in Australia, the Australian Beverages Council Limited welcomes the release of the Food for Thought committee report. “This report accurately acknowledges the high-quality food and beverage offering in Australia, while also recognising the challenges facing our industry,” according to the Australian Beverages Council Limited.
The Australian Beverages Council Limited particularly welcomes the report’s recommendations to support upgrades and modernisation of technology and equipment, evaluate and address skills shortages, harmonise container deposit schemes (CDS) and for government to facilitate the retention of CDS-collected recycled materials in a bottle-to-bottle circular economy, among other initiatives. If enacted at a policy level, these changes could significantly boost both Australian food and beverage manufacturing and accelerate the transition to a circular economy.
“The committee recognised the insights of our industry, with the report recommending government reduce red tape and amend policy settings to better support industry initiatives, including in driving circularity and innovation,” says Australian Beverages Council Limited CEO Geoff Parker. “To this aim, harmonising CDS nationally would reduce the cost to participate and operate the schemes, enable better management of materials and would encourage greater return rates”.
“We are also pleased the report recognised the need to streamline labelling changes. We encourage the Federal Government to work with state and territory counterparts to better coordinate the changeover dates and timeline for labelling requirements, as well as exploration of digitising labelling including QR codes with additional information”.
“Finally, we would like to thank the Committee for recognising the ABCL’s Environmental Sustainability Roadmap to 2030 (ESR30) program as a flagship industry initiative looking to assist manufacturers in understanding their environmental impact and enacting sustainable change. We look forward to seeing the positive changes that come from this landmark initiative”.
The Australian Beverages Council Limited is committed to driving the transition to a circular economy and advancing sustainability within the beverage manufacturing industry.
“We actively support government efforts to harmonise CDS, reduce red tape, and facilitate the retention of recycled materials within a bottle-to-bottle system. In addition to advising on the operation of CDS, we participate in national and international consultation groups, ensuring our members are well-equipped to meet their sustainability goals. As a proud member of APCO, a United Nationals Environment Programme Accredited Stakeholder, and a signatory to the ANZPAC Plastic Pact, we continue to lead initiatives that foster innovation and sustainability across the beverages sector.”