The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report
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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.
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affordable housing, agriculture, construction, hospitality, industries, jobs, manufacturing, mining, Retail, telecommunications, tourism
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%.
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17 December 2013, 171213, car manufacturing industry, holden, manufacturing, toyota
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.
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25 February 2013, 250213, blue collar workers, industry package, manufacturing
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%).
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21 January 2013, 210113, agriculture, banking, construction, manufacturing, media, mining, power companies, public interest, Retail, telecommunications, tourism
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.
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manufacturing, Sydney, Tim Ayers
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.
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21 May 12, 210512, agriculture, Australian industries, construction, Finance, hospitality, manufacturing, mining, Retail, telecommunications, tourism
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
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15 May 2012, 150512, 3Q Ep 12, AMWU, budget, Ep 12, Federal Budget, manufacturing, Paul Bastian
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.