government action on car industry, manufacturing industry
Q. Do you think the Federal Government did enough or did not do enough to keep the car manufacturing industry in Australia?
|
Total |
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote other |
|
| Did enough |
36% |
19% |
63% |
22% |
36% |
|
| Did not do enough |
46% |
68% |
22% |
55% |
54% |
|
| Don’t know |
17% |
13% |
15% |
23% |
10% |
46% think that the Government did not do enough to keep the car manufacturing industry in Australia and 36% think they did enough. 63% of Liberal/National voters think they did enough and 68% of Labor voters think they did not do enough.
Those most likely to think the Government did enough were men (41%), aged 55+ (50%) and those with university education (41%).
Those most likely to think the Government did not do enough were aged 18-34 (52%).
011013, 1 October 2013, manufacturing industry
Q. Thinking about the Australian manufacturing industry, which of the following statements is closest to your view?
|
Total |
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
Aug 2012 |
Jun 2013 |
|
| With Government support, Australia can have a successful manufacturing industry |
65% |
70% |
64% |
60% |
63% |
61% |
||
| There is no future for manufacturing in Australia and Government support would be a waste of money |
19% |
17% |
23% |
17% |
17% |
22% |
||
| Don’t know |
16% |
13% |
14% |
23% |
21% |
17% |
65% agree that “With Government support, Australia can have a successful manufacturing industry” and 19% agree “There is no future for manufacturing in Australia and Government support would be a waste of money”. Those who think that “Australia can have a successful manufacturing industry” has increased 4% and those thinking “There is no future for manufacturing in Australia” has dropped 3% since this question was last asked in June.
Those most likely to agree that “Australia can have a successful manufacturing industry” were aged 45+ (69%), Labor voters (70%) and people on income of less than $1,000pw (75%).
Those most likely to agree that “There is no future for manufacturing in Australia” were men (25%), Liberal/National voters (23%) and people on incomes over $1,600pw (28%).
22 April 2013, 220413, defence, Government spending, manufacturing industry, pensions, private schools, public schools, roads, transport, universities, welfare
Q. If the Liberal Party won Government at the next election, do you think they would increase or decrease spending on the following areas or spend about the same as the Labor Government?
|
Increase spending |
Decrease spending |
Spend about the same |
Don’t know |
|
| Public schools |
22% |
30% |
33% |
15% |
| Private schools |
28% |
27% |
28% |
16% |
| Universities |
18% |
29% |
36% |
16% |
| Support for manufacturing industries |
26% |
23% |
32% |
19% |
| Pensions |
19% |
32% |
36% |
14% |
| Welfare support |
12% |
45% |
28% |
14% |
| Health and hospitals |
33% |
27% |
25% |
14% |
| The environment |
11% |
39% |
34% |
16% |
| Defence |
31% |
19% |
34% |
16% |
| Foreign aid |
8% |
41% |
33% |
18% |
| Public transport |
23% |
26% |
35% |
16% |
| Roads |
26% |
22% |
36% |
16% |
| Border security |
44% |
14% |
28% |
14% |
| The arts |
7% |
40% |
32% |
21% |
| Subsidies for business |
34% |
20% |
28% |
18% |
Overall, respondents were more likely to think a Liberal Government would reduce spending on welfare support, the arts, the environment, foreign aid, pensions, public schools and universities. They were more likely to think they would increase spending on border security, defence and subsidies for business.
Liberal voters thought a Liberal Government would be more likely to increase than decrease spending on public schools, manufacturing industries, pensions, public transport, health and hospitals, defence, roads, border security and subsidies for business.
28 August 2012, 280812, Government support, manufacturing industry
Q. Thinking about the Australian manufacturing industry, which of the following statements is closest to your view?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| With Government support, Australia can have a successful manufacturing industry |
63% |
67% |
63% |
68% |
| There is no future for manufacturing in Australia and Government support would be a waste of money |
17% |
15% |
21% |
14% |
| Don’t know |
21% |
18% |
16% |
18% |
63% agreed that “with Government support, Australia can have a successful manufacturing industry” and 17% agreed that “there is no future for manufacturing in Australia and Government support would be a waste of money”.
There was little difference by voting intention. Older respondents were more supportive of manufacturing than younger respondents – 68% of those aged 55+ agreed that “with Government support, Australia can have a successful manufacturing industry” compared to 55% of those aged 18-34.
28 August 2012, 280812, Australian materials, manufacturing industry, overseas competition, tax revenue
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the following types of Government support and assistance for Australia’s manufacturing industry?
|
Total approve |
Total disapprove |
Strongly approve |
Approve |
Disapprove |
Strongly disapprove |
Don’t know |
|
| Lower tax rates for Australian manufacturers, even though it would reduce tax revenue. |
55% |
23% |
10% |
45% |
18% |
5% |
22% |
| More direct subsidies and grants to manufacturers from taxpayers. |
35% |
41% |
4% |
31% |
30% |
11% |
24% |
| Take action to force down the Australian dollar |
25% |
46% |
6% |
19% |
32% |
14% |
28% |
| Protection from overseas competition |
66% |
20% |
25% |
41% |
15% |
5% |
13% |
| Joint ventures and partnerships between Government and manufacturing companies |
67% |
17% |
13% |
54% |
12% |
5% |
17% |
| Giving preference to Australian companies when purchasing manufactured products – even if they cost a little more |
78% |
11% |
29% |
49% |
9% |
2% |
12% |
| Governments bringing forward major infrastructure projects with greater preference for Australian materials and products |
82% |
7% |
33% |
49% |
6% |
1% |
11% |
| Require major project builders to give preference to Australian companies |
77% |
11% |
32% |
45% |
9% |
2% |
13% |
| Building more of our major defence requirements here in Australia |
77% |
8% |
33% |
44% |
6% |
2% |
15% |
There was very strong support for bringing forward major infrastructure projects with greater preference for Australian materials and products (82%), giving preference to Australian companies when purchasing manufactured products (78%), building more of our major defence requirements in Australia (77%) and requiring major project builders to give preference to Australian companies (77%).
Respondents were more likely to disapprove of forcing down the Australian dollar (46%) and more direct subsidies and grants to manufacturers from taxpayers (41%).
Australian dollar, Australian manufacturing, car industry, economy, Greens, Labor, Liberal, manufacturing, manufacturing industry, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. Do you think other manufacturing sectors that are under pressure from the high Australian dollar should receive similar assistance from Governments, or do you think the car industry needs special assistance?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Other manufacturing industries should receive similar assistance | 62% | 61% | 66% | 68% |
| The car industry needs special assistance | 12% | 15% | 15% | 9% |
| Don’t know | 26% | 24% | 19% | 23% |
62% thought that other manufacturing industries should receive similar assistance and only 12% thought the car industry needs special assistance. There were no major differences across demographic and voter groups – although strongest support for similar assistance for other industries came from Greens voters (68%), aged 45+ (69%) and Victorian residents (68%).
Australian manufacturing, economy, Greens, Labor, Liberal, manufacturing, manufacturing industry, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. A number of politicians have said about the manufacturing industry that Australia should be an economy that “makes things.” Do you agree or disagree?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total agree | 79% | 84% | 84% | 76% |
| Total disagree | 6% | 6% | 7% | 6% |
| Strongly agree | 25% | 27% | 27% | 16% |
| Agree | 54% | 57% | 57% | 60% |
| Disagree | 6% | 5% | 7% | 5% |
| Strongly disagree | * | * | – | 1% |
| Don’t know | 14% | 10% | 9% | 18% |
There was strong agreement with the idea that Australia should be an economy that “makes things”. 79% agreed and only 6% of respondents disagreed.
84% of both Labor and Liberal/National voters agreed – but generally results were similar across demographic groups.
Essential Report, Federal Government, federal politics, inquiry, manufacturing industry, Polling
Q. Do you think the Government needs to hold an inquiry into the future of Australia’s manufacturing industry?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Yes | 49% | 45% | 55% | 48% |
| No | 19% | 22% | 17% | 27% |
| Don’t know | 32% | 33% | 28% | 25% |
49% agree that the Government needs to hold an inquiry into the future of Australia’s manufacturing industry. Support for an inquiry is highest among Liberal/National voters (55%) and people aged 55+ (57%).