Global Standards, Local Strength: Strengthening Australia’s Manufacturing Future From Compliance to Global Market Access
Leanne Halliday
Global Head of Energy and Renewables and Hydrogen Subject Matter Expert at LRQA
Australian manufacturers operate within a Resource and Energy sector known by its cyclical nature, fluctuating commodity prices, and periods of rapid growth followed by market downturns. This volatility is even more visible today against a tumultuous geo-political backdrop.
These peaks and troughs create volatility in domestic manufacturing demand, making export diversification an attractive solution for sustaining revenue, retaining skilled workforces, and maintaining sovereign industrial capability. At the same time, Australia is seeking to strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity to support energy security, critical infrastructure, and the nation’s race to net zero. Success will therefore depend on manufacturers balancing the requirements of global markets while building a resilient industrial base capable of supporting Australia’s long-term energy and economic priorities.
As global markets become increasingly regulated and sustainability expectations intensify, manufacturers must move beyond viewing compliance as a regulatory obligation and instead leverage it as a strategic enabler of growth. International customers, investors, and regulators are looking for greater transparency, supply chain traceability, and demonstrated environmental performance. Equally important is the ability to consistently deliver products and services that meet recognised international standards. In export markets for critical large projects consistency in quality and documentation and ESG transparency can be as important as cost.
Lean Manufacturing Workshop
Brent Johnston
Brent is a Mechanical Engineering professional that has been working in Design and Manufacturing with over 40 years experience across Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Brent has been applying Lean thinking to product development and manufacturing systems to help businesses create great products and processes to ensure customer quality.
Lean and Quality Management are often discussed as separate disciplines, yet both share the common objective of improving organisational performance through consistent, customer-focused processes. This interactive session will challenge participants to examine the relationship between Lean and modern Quality Management Systems, exploring whether Lean should be viewed as an integral component of an effective quality system or as a separate methodology operating alongside it.
Beginning with a practical overview of what Lean truly represents—beyond tools and waste reduction—the session will examine how Lean principles align with process-based thinking, risk management, and continuous improvement requirements embedded within contemporary quality standards. Through facilitated simulation, participants will explore the opportunities, challenges, and misconceptions surrounding the integration of Lean into daily operational quality management.
Designed to encourage open dialogue and the sharing of experiences, this session aims to provide attendees with practical insights into creating focus on the operational systems where Lean and Quality work together to deliver sustainable improvements in performance, customer value, and organisational excellence.