Weld Australia Demands Urgent Government Action to Implement Meaningful, Enforceable Local Content Requirements for All Federal and State Government Projects
Weld Australia welcomes Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's call for Australians to "buy local" in response to the 25% steel and aluminium import tariffs imposed by US President Trump. However, if the government is serious about supporting Australian industry, it must start by applying its own advice: all federal and state government projects must mandate the use of Australian steel, fabricated by local Australian welders.
According to Weld Australia's CEO, Geoff Crittenden, "It's not enough for the Prime Minister to encourage everyday Australians to buy local while the federal, state and territory governments themselves fails to do so. If the government truly wants to back Australia's steel and manufacturing industries, it must implement and enforce strict local content procurement requirements across all federally funded projects."
Government Spending Must Prioritise Local Industry
"The Australian Government has an immense opportunity—and responsibility—to harness its $100 billion annual procurement spend to support local manufacturers, fabricators, and welders. Yet, we continue to see key federal and state government infrastructure projects relying on imported steel and offshore fabrication, costing Australian jobs and undermining our sovereign capability," said Crittenden.
"Australian industry has the skills, the technology, and the workforce to deliver world-class infrastructure projects. But instead, we see government-funded projects using imported fabricated steel that often fails to meet Australian Standards, putting public safety at risk and eroding the long-term viability of our manufacturing sector."
A Local Content Mandate is Essential
Weld Australia is calling for the immediate introduction of enforceable local content policies that ensure all major federal, state and territory government-funded projects:
- Require a minimum percentage of Australian steel, fabricated by Australian workers.
- Guarantee compliance with Australian Standards to maintain safety and quality.
- Support long-term investment in local manufacturing and sovereign capability.
"The United States, Canada, and European nations have long-standing procurement policies that prioritise domestic industries. Australia must follow suit, or we risk losing our capacity to manufacture the very infrastructure we rely on," Crittenden said.
The Time for Action is Now
The impact of past failures to implement strong local content policies is already evident. The closure of Australia's last mainland wind tower manufacturer, Keppel Prince, is a direct consequence of government inaction, as cheap, non-compliant imports continue to undermine the industry.
"The government has a choice: it can continue with business as usual and watch Australian manufacturing collapse, or it can back its own call to 'buy local' by mandating Australian steel and Australian welders for every government project," said Crittenden. "This isn't just about jobs—it's about national security, economic resilience, and ensuring the quality of our nation's infrastructure."
Weld Australia urges the federal, state and territory governments to act now and implement meaningful, enforceable local content requirements that will protect Australian industry for generations to come.
