- Industry survey in partnership between Global Victoria and BioMelbourne Network
- An opportunity for you to engage and take a short survey to inform our work on a critical issue to the Healthtech Industry
- Keep informed about the Issues paper development and working group by signing up to the mailing list
The pandemic has created significant freight and logistics challenges for the Victorian Healthtech Industry, and we are seeking your input to gain a deeper understanding about the current use of air freight transport, and how organisations have shifted to adapt and the impact on your organisation.
What is the new normal, how much will it cost and how will your operation be impacted?
Global Victoria has partnered with BioMelbourne Network (on behalf of the Healthtech Industry) to conduct a review of key issues being faced across our sector, how companies have adapted to the new normal and the impact on the industry.
Information will be gathered via a 10-minute survey (click on the button below) that will assist us to develop an Issues Paper to succinctly present the potential risks and impacts to organisations across different sectors of the industry.
Once complete, we will work with Global Victoria to present the findings to Industry and form a working group which will support the development of strategies to address key challenges identified.
Context:
International air freight is at the very heart of import and export trade for the Healthtech Industry. Organisations conducting clinical trials, companies manufacturing medical devices and pharmaceuticals or operating commercial labs all require a reliable, cost effective and robust air freight infrastructure. The current Federal support, which is underwriting nearly all of Australia’s air freight capacity through the International Freight Assistance Mechanism, was scheduled to end in September. This is currently expected to continue as announced by the National Cabinet on July 2nd 2021.
There remains uncertainty over the level of ongoing funding of IFAM and the potential flow-on supply chain impacts to the Healthtech Industry in Australia. Even with the continuance of some level of IFAM support, we know from IATA that international passenger services won’t revert to so-called normal levels until at least 2024. It was that passenger travel that subsidised international air freight, as most of that freight travelled in the underbelly of those international flights. It is certain that even once international passenger travel resumes, air freight costs and lead times will remain significantly different from our pre-pandemic levels.
Within the Healthtech Industry in Victoria and around Australia, there remains a general lack of awareness of how international air freight is being sustained, what the long-term solutions are, and the costs required to address Australia’s logistics challenges.
We encourage your participation, and the survey closes Friday 3 September 2021. All responses will be confidential and not attributable to individual organisations.
Alternatively, sign up to the mailing list to keep informed about the Issues Paper development and working group here.
