Oct 23, 2026 · 21 min · 10 segments
A National Semiconductor Roadmap was rolled out this week in Sydney at the industry's annual conference - Justin Hendry was there and provides some insight into this landmark document. Also, what did…
Justin HendryHost
James RileyHost
Yeah, so they released this national semiconductor roadmap that has been in the works for some time now.
And yeah, it was an interesting read and he had some interesting things to say about it.
I think fundamentally it came with a message that the sector could add at least $5 billion to the economy by 2040 and a bunch more jobs, around 10,000 additional jobs it could support.
in sort of high skilled sectors like advanced materials, advanced manufacturing.
So yeah, it came with this modeling from Deloitte Access Economics about what the opportunity was.
But it also came with a warning that if there is not a greater focus on this space and there's not dedicated policy and there's no work to sort of help with the infrastructure that the sector needs to grow, then we're sort of potentially looking at about a $15 billion hit to the economy.
So, I mean, when I think of semiconductors, I think of a fab and obviously the industry is more than just the fabrication facilities, but just talk us through, why do we get a hit if we don't have the infrastructure?
Yeah, so the modelling is based off, I guess, if Australia doesn't keep up with the trajectory we're seeing overseas in the international market.
Because at the moment, the revenues from semiconductor-related industries is around about $1 billion.
But I think the modeling is basically saying that there's a substantial increase in the number of chips that will be needed in the coming decade plus, and the industry is going to grow to meet that demand.
And if Australia doesn't match where the sort of the curve that's coming, then we'll see that sort of hit.
So David Skellen talked about it as a sort of $20 billion choice that Australia has before it.
It can either sort of provide the necessary things and front and center for the industry is a strategy and sort of policy framework for how to get there.
The roadmap sort of speaks to about 20 countries that Australia sort of sees as close partners that have strategies and we're without one.
Yeah, so they released this national semiconductor roadmap that has been in the works for some time now.
And yeah, it was an interesting read and he had some interesting things to say about it.
I think fundamentally it came with a message that the sector could add at least $5 billion to the economy by 2040 and a bunch more jobs, around 10,000 additional jobs it could support.
in sort of high skilled sectors like advanced materials, advanced manufacturing.
So yeah, it came with this modeling from Deloitte Access Economics about what the opportunity was.
But it also came with a warning that if there is not a greater focus on this space and there's not dedicated policy and there's no work to sort of help with the infrastructure that the sector needs to grow, then we're sort of potentially looking at about a $15 billion hit to the economy.
So, I mean, when I think of semiconductors, I think of a fab and obviously the industry is more than just the fabrication facilities, but just talk us through, why do we get a hit if we don't have the infrastructure?
Yeah, so the modelling is based off, I guess, if Australia doesn't keep up with the trajectory we're seeing overseas in the international market.
Because at the moment, the revenues from semiconductor-related industries is around about $1 billion.
But I think the modeling is basically saying that there's a substantial increase in the number of chips that will be needed in the coming decade plus, and the industry is going to grow to meet that demand.
And if Australia doesn't match where the sort of the curve that's coming, then we'll see that sort of hit.
So David Skellen talked about it as a sort of $20 billion choice that Australia has before it.
It can either sort of provide the necessary things and front and center for the industry is a strategy and sort of policy framework for how to get there.
The roadmap sort of speaks to about 20 countries that Australia sort of sees as close partners that have strategies and we're without one.
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