Federal government updates Supply Chain Benchmarking Dashboard

The federal government has added new data on its Supply Chain Benchmarking Dashboard, which enables industry to compare supply chain performance over road and rail and across different locations.

The update will further help freight operators and the businesses they support to improve their operations and save on costs.

The dashboard, which was developed by the CSIRO, now features 12 new commodities, including cement, asphalt, bitumen and molasses.

This will give the industry insight into the supply chains of 150 commodities to help them compare performance by freight task costs and value, travel distances and durations, and geographic areas.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Barnaby Joyce said the more informed freight operators are, the better they perform and the more they save.

“Australia’s freight sector has done exceptionally well to keep supplies flowing in challenging circumstances throughout the pandemic,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

“As the sector returns to normal, the Supply Chain Benchmarking Dashboard will help freight operators to improve their operations, save on costs and grow on the other side of the pandemic,” he said.

Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport Scott Buchholz said the dashboard forms part of the National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy, the Australian Government’s nationwide plan to ratchet up action and ambition from all levels of governments and industry to lift freight performance.

“Better freight location and performance data and improved supply chain efficiency are two key target areas under the National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy,” Assistant Minister Buchholz said.

“That’s why our Government is investing $16.5 million over four years to create a Freight Data Hub and provide freely available resources such as this Supply Chain Benchmarking Dashboard,” he said.

CSIRO Senior Principal Research Scientist Dr Andrew Higgins said this update builds on the Australian Government and CSIRO’s continuous investment in modelling Australia’s supply chains.

“The dashboard is being continually improved to better meet the needs of our freight and supply chain industry,” Dr Higgins said.

“I would like to thank the 400-plus industries and businesses across Australia who supported this effort with data or expertise,” he concluded.

Source: The Hon Barnaby Joyce MP media release