Australia should encourage “advanced manufacturing” and look to gas as the “key to manufacturing” said Andrew Liveris, Dow Chemical’s global president and co-chairman of Barack Obama’s Advanced Manufacturing Partnership.
The Greek Australian launched his plan The Dow Chemical Company Advanced Manufacturing Plan for Australia in Sydney at the Future of Manufacturing in Australia conference to give Australia the tools it needs to become a global manufacturing player.
His plan states that Australia needs to create the right environment for manufacturing that is export-competitive, dependent on innovation and that includes partnerships with researchers, government and other firms. He said Australia must increase investment in innovation.
Mr Liveris pinpointed Australia’s gas fields as a way Australia can keep the manufacturing sector competitive and the plan stated that gas producers should reserve a big share of new gas fields for domestic use.
He warned that carbon tax and renewable energy targets would damage competitiveness.
“Australia has all the building blocks of a global leader, including vast quantitiy of natural resources [and] a highly skilled, talented workforce,” said Mr Liveris.
He said Australia should aim at changing policies to aim for a “balanced, sustainable economy that adds value to resources”.
In 2010, Mr Liveris was given the oldest honour in Christendom and the highest honour a lay person can receive in the Orthodox Christian Church by being named Archon by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of the Orthodox Christian Church.
“I am thrilled, honored and humbled to have been given this recognition,” said Mr Liveris.
“The title carries with it an awesome responsibility and serves as a reminder that religious freedom must be supported at all costs to ensure the continuation of our rich and beautiful 2000 year old Christian Faith.”
