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  • Oct, 2021

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    View of Australia’s manufacturing industry

    Q. Thinking about the Australian manufacturing industry, which of the following statements is closest to your view?

      Oct’21 Oct’13 Jun’13 Aug’12
     
    With government support, Australia can have a successful manufacturing industry 69% 65% 61% 63%
    There is no future for manufacturing in Australia and government support would be a waste of money 15% 19% 22% 17%
    Unsure 16% 16% 17% 21%
    • 69% of people think with government support, Australia can have a successful manufacturing industry. 15% think there is no future for manufacturing in Australia and government support would be a waste of money. 16% are unsure.
    • Results in 2021 are similar to 2013 and 2012 levels.
      Total Gender Age Group Federal Voting Intention
      Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor TOTAL: Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    With government support, Australia can have a successful manufacturing industry 69% 69% 68% 57% 64% 83% 69% 73% 61% 70%
    There is no future for manufacturing in Australia and government support would be a waste of money 15% 19% 12% 22% 16% 8% 16% 16% 18% 17%
    Unsure 16% 12% 20% 20% 21% 9% 15% 11% 21% 13%
    Column n 1,781 875 906 533 601 647 636 610 157 220
    • Those aged over 55 (83%) are most likely to think Australia can have a successful manufacturing industry with government support.
    • Among voters, Coalition voters (73%) are most likely to have this view, with minor/independent party voters (70%) and Labor voters following closely behind (69%).
    • Men (19%) and those aged 18-34 (22%) are most likely to think there is no future for manufacturing in Australia and government support would be a waste of money.
  • Feb, 2014

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    Importance of industries

    Q. How important are the following industries for providing jobs for Australians into the future?

     

    Very important

    Quite important

    Somewhat important

    Not very important

    Don’t know

     

    Very important Feb 2012

    Construction

    58%

    30%

    9%

    1%

    3%

    58%

    Agriculture

    57%

    27%

    12%

    2%

    3%

    Manufacturing

    55%

    26%

    12%

    4%

    3%

    55%

    Tourism

    53%

    31%

    11%

    3%

    2%

    53%

    Mining

    52%

    29%

    13%

    4%

    2%

    64%

    Retail

    46%

    35%

    14%

    2%

    2%

    47%

    Hospitality

    45%

    37%

    14%

    2%

    2%

    46%

    Finance

    40%

    34%

    19%

    3%

    4%

    39%

    Telecommunications

    37%

    37%

    19%

    4%

    3%

    39%

    Respondents regard the construction (58%), agriculture (57%) and manufacturing (55%) industries to be the most important for providing jobs for Australians in the future. These were followed closely by the tourism (53%) and mining (52%) industries.

    Since this question was last asked in February 2012, those think mining is very important for future jobs has dropped from 64% to 52%.

  • Dec, 2013

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    Support for Toyota

    Q. When Holden closes, Toyota will be the only company manufacturing cars in Australia. Do you think the Government should increase financial support for Toyota, decrease support or leave it the same?

     

    Total

     

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Vote other

    Increase support

    31%

     

    44%

    21%

    16%

    37%

    Decrease support

    11%

     

    7%

    15%

    13%

    8%

    Leave it the same

    44%

     

    32%

    52%

    54%

    49%

    Don’t know

    14%

    17%

    11%

    17%

    7%

    31% think the Government should increase financial support to Toyota and 44% think they should leave it the same. Only 11% were in favour of decreasing the support for Toyota.

  • Feb, 2013

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    Support for industry package

    Q. The Federal Government has announced a $1 billion package to support Australian jobs in blue-collar industries like manufacturing. Do you support this plan? 

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Support

    48%

    69%

    39%

    45%

    Oppose

    10%

    1%

    17%

    10%

    Haven’t heard of it

    34%

    24%

    34%

    40%

    Don’t know

    9%

    6%

    10%

    5%

    48% support the Government’s $1 billion package to support Australian jobs in blue-collar industries like manufacturing and 10% oppose. 34% said they hadn’t heard of it.

    Strongest support was shown by Labor voters (69%), aged 35-44 (57%) and those earning $1,000-$1,600pw (56%).

  • Jan, 2013

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    Trust in industries

    Q. How much trust do you have in the following industries to act in the public interest

     

    Total a lot/some trust

    A lot of trust

    Some trust

    Not much trust

    No trust at all

    Don’t know

    Agriculture

    72%

    20%

    52%

    18%

    4%

    5%

    Tourism

    68%

    12%

    56%

    22%

    6%

    5%

    Manufacturing

    56%

    8%

    48%

    30%

    8%

    7%

    Construction and development

    48%

    5%

    43%

    33%

    12%

    6%

    Retail

    47%

    3%

    44%

    38%

    12%

    3%

    Telecommunications

    37%

    3%

    34%

    41%

    18%

    3%

    Banking

    33%

    5%

    28%

    36%

    29%

    3%

    Mining

    32%

    3%

    29%

    35%

    25%

    8%

    Media

    30%

    2%

    28%

    40%

    27%

    2%

    Power companies

    18%

    1%

    17%

    37%

    41%

    4%

    The industries most trusted to act in the public interest were agriculture (72% some/a lot of trust), tourism (68%) and manufacturing (56%).

    The industries least trusted to act in the public interest were power companies (18%), the media (30%), mining (32%) and banking (33%).

    The only industry on which there were major differences was mining where 43% of Liberal/National voters had a lot/some trust compared to only 25% of Labor voters and 17% of Greens voters.

  • Aug, 2012

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    We Still Make Stuff

    If you read the press, you’d think there isn’t a single manufacturing job in any place but China. Truth is, though, lots of stuff is made right in your backyard—it just takes a bit of paying attention. Tim Ayres helps us put on the glasses.

    Ayres, the New South Wales secretary of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, runs it down in a cogent piece in the Daily Telegraph:

    As trains and motorways are funneling commuters east, work is already under way at the thousands of small and medium-sized factories and workshops often hidden from view.

    Near Liverpool, workers at HPM make the only Australian-made powerboards, sockets, smoke alarms and switches you’ll find at your local hardware store.

    At Minto, workers churn out Streets paddle pops and Cornettos. At Bella Vista, workers at ResMed make devices to treat sleep apnea.

    To be sure, jobs are being hit. But, I think Ayres’ spectacular point is that there has to be a strategy to develop manufacturing without taking it out of the pockets of workers:

    We won’t get there on labour costs: we’re lucky to live in a country where people earn fair wages. It will be through investment in technology, innovation and skills; a commitment from industry to employ managers who are capable of leading their enterprises in a tough environment; and a serious effort from government.

    Government’s role is not to prop up outdated technologies and industries. But it should be fighting for good local jobs, supporting the industries of the future and creating the environment for them to thrive.

    Put another way, the easy and lazy way—and the way of The Coalition and its business allies—is the knee-jerk cut wages and benefits. But, that road is a road to destroying the middle class.


    @jonathantasini

  • May, 2012

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    Australian Industries

    Q. How much do average Australians benefit from having strong industries in each of the following sectors?

    Benefit a lot

    Some benefit

    A little benefit

    No benefit

    Don’t know

    Tourism

    45%

    30%

    11%

    4%

    10%

    Agriculture

    45%

    29%

    12%

    4%

    11%

    Construction

    44%

    32%

    11%

    3%

    10%

    Mining

    44%

    31%

    10%

    4%

    11%

    Manufacturing

    44%

    30%

    11%

    4%

    10%

    Retail

    40%

    34%

    11%

    5%

    10%

    Hospitality

    36%

    36%

    13%

    4%

    10%

    Finance

    34%

    34%

    15%

    5%

    11%

    Telecommunications

    31%

    36%

    17%

    5%

    11%

     Over 40% of respondents think the average Australian benefits a lot from having strong industries in tourism (45%), agriculture (45%), construction (44%), mining (44%) and manufacturing (44%).

    Major demographic differences were –

    60% of aged 55+ think there is a lot of benefit from manufacturing

    62% of aged 55+ and 50% of Labor voters think there is a lot of benefit from construction

    53% of aged 45-64 think there is a lot of benefit from retail

    60% of aged 55+ and 52% of Labor voters think there is a lot of benefit from tourism

    58% of aged 55+ and 48% of Coalition voters think there is a lot of benefit from mining

    57% of aged 55+ think there is a lot of benefit from agriculture

    Comments »

  • May, 2012

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    Will the Budget solve our two speed economy?


    Paul Bastian welcomes the tax on mining profits and the Government’s continued commitment to manufacturing.

    It’s no secret that the mining boom has pushed the dollar sky high and caused problems for manufacturers. But Paul Bastian believes the Government is right to be investing in the future and promoting maths and science.

    He tells 3Q that innovation in manufacturing is the key to the future and it must be protected at all costs.

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