FEDERAL Minister for Tourism, Trade and Investment, Dan Tehan was in Lemnos recently to hear about the Med-Con’s contribution during the pandemic, as Australia’s first manufacturer of face masks.
Med-Con ramped up manufacturing in 2020 to meet consumer demand for disposable face masks. Since then, competition at home and abroad has threatened Med-Con’s business, causing the business to reduce the staff they employed during the boom.
Dan Tehan joins the list of politicians and supporters to get behind Med-Con, as the Liberal party promises to make manufacturing great again and the engine room of our economy.
Most recently, Independent Member for Shepparton District, Suzanna Sheed, praised the Federal Government’s five-year medical mask contract with the company, and called on the state government to follow suit.
In August last year, Ms Sheed called on the Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley, the Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt, and every other state and territory minister, to support the local manufacturer.
“When the pandemic started in early 2020, Med-Con was the only Australian medical mask manufacturer,” Ms Sheed said.
“They stepped up to the demand when our community and medical staff needed supplies and when the cheaper supplies from overseas returned to our market, Med-Con was forced to reduce its output.
“We must remember that supporting such vital local suppliers is important to our sovereignty as a state and a nation.
“Victorians need to support one another during this pandemic and into the future.
“A contract for medical masks with both the Federal and State Governments would bolster Med-Con and increase job opportunities in our district.”
