More vaccines could be manufactured in Australia under a special fund Labor would set up to boost the domestic medical technology industry.
Its money,along with private investments,would be used to boost domestic manufacturing capacity of things like vaccines,rapid antigen tests,and medicines.
The fund’s board would also look at how government purchasing strategies can be used to encourage a local industry.
Albanese said the reduced capacity to make these things in Australia was brought to the fore during the height of the pandemic,especially when the country was competing internationally to secure supplies of vaccines and tests.
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“A country that takes its pandemic preparedness seriously would have ensured that we made more rapid tests and vaccines here,” he said.
Labor’s industry spokesman Ed Husic said local businesses were ready to make these essential supplies but they needed a government to back them.
“We once had a proud heritage of medical manufacture in this country that has been undermined by a Coalition government that often refuses to work with or back local firms,” he said.