Vision

ASCA aims to encourage the Australian Government to state clearly what strategic and economic operational sovereign capabilities the nation requires to protect its independence, its security, and its prosperity. Based on these stated operational sovereign capabilities ASCA argues that the Australian government should use its policy, regulatory and purchasing powers to guarantee independent sovereign industrial capability in key strategic industries sufficient to protect the national interest. The five principal industries of concern are defence and space, health, energy and infrastructure, science communications and technology and advanced manufacturing.

Australian Sovereign Capability Alliance

ASCA would like to see government take action to achieve sovereign operational capability and sovereign industrial capability adequate to ensure that Australia has:

Defence and Space

  • A capability to defend itself from attack without dependence upon allies.
  • An ADF with vital combat systems which can be independently maintained and sustained.
  • An indigenous capability to design, build, deploy, upgrade, and replace essential air, sea, land, and space capabilities without dependence on any other nation, multinational company or third party.

Health

  • A national health system able to independently sustain essential emergency, disaster, and pandemic operations for a sustained period, in peace or war.
  • A locally manufactured supply chain for medical devices, personal protective equipment (PPE) and other essential supplies adequate for any perceived emergency in peace or war.
  • An Australian pharmaceuticals and drug manufacturing capability adequate to independently meet the nations needs in any foreseen contingency

Energy and Infrastructure

  • Sufficient local gas, oil and refined fuel production and storage capability to ensure Australia can, without reliance upon imports, maintain its economic and military capabilities throughout the course of any perceived emergency, crisis, or war.
  • Infrastructure, power, water and essential services systems which are locally designed, built and maintained and which are Australian owned or able to be controlled securely and independently sustained, during any emergency or conflict.

Science, Communications and Technology

  • Strong and independent universities and research centres of excellence capable of ensuring Australia is not dependent on any other nation or third party for sustainment of key national capabilities in defence and aerospace, artificial intelligence, cyber security, 5G communications, biological, chemical, food and water security and any other area deemed essential to the national interest.
  • Sovereign control of the Australia’s communications network 5G and beyond, including indigenous secure data storage adequate to meet the nation’s strategic requirements.
  • Science, research and development capabilities adequate to ensure a lead role in artificial Intelligence, machine learning and other emerging technologies sufficient to ensure Australia does not become dependent on other nations for its technological sovereignty.

Advanced Manufacturing

  • A national capability to build and export things which are hi-tech, elaborately transformed manufacturing born from high levels of private and public R&D investment.
  • Tightly integrated university and industry collaboration linked to our industrial strengths including mining, resources and energy, medical devices, food and agriculture, defence and aerospace, autonomous systems, communications, transport and infrastructure.
  • A sovereign manufacturing landscape which has the requisite complexity, diversity, skills and technological depth to provide national resilience.
  • A sovereign creative industries ecosystem which supports entrepreneurship, innovation, collaboration, start-ups, and science-based manufacturing.
Functions and Funding