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Articles on Manufacturing

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If cars aren’t the way to go in manufacturing, maybe we should look to green technology. Flickr/Michael Caven

Can Kevin Rudd revive the green manufacturing dream?

Australia’s ailing car manufacturing industry will receive a A$200m funding boost. And all cars in Commonwealth fleets will have to be Australian-made. The policy was announced today by Kim Carr, Minister…
The Australian car manufacturing industry is in trouble – but does the government provide less support than other countries?

FactCheck: do other countries subsidise their car industry more than we do?

“By international standards our support [of the automotive industry] is modest, so we have to work hard to attract the new investment.” – Industry minister Senator Kim Carr, Lateline, 22 July. The idea…
The Rudd government’s changes to fringe benefit tax concessions on cars is good environmental policy, but bad news for the manufacturing sector. AAP

Manufacturing threatened by Rudd’s changes to car tax deductions

The decision to terminate the statutory formula method under the fringe benefits tax regime will have significant ramifications on the car industry, the local car manufacturing industry and employment…
The reasons for compensating emissions-intensive trade-exposed industries have vanished; so should the compensation. Dave Clarke

Labor keeps ETS compensation for big power users - why?

With the Rudd government announcing a faster conversion to a market-driven carbon price, it should be time to review the assistance provided to emissions-intensive, trade-exposed industries such as raw…
Australia enjoys a privileged relationship with most economies in the Asian region because of the integrated global value chain. Image sourced from www.shutterstock.com

Increasing Australia’s edge through Asian value chains

Australia is facing increasingly stiff competition from developed economies all vying for a share of the growth pie in the East and South Asian region, where Australia has integrated its value chain activities…
Should Australia go beyond exporting uranium “yellowcake” and consider fabricating nuclear fuel rods? Flickr/NNSA News

Should Australia’s manufacturing future be nuclear?

It is not the first time in Australia’s economic history that a prevalent sector reaches its peak and gives way to a rapidly developing new one. However, while the mining and education sectors have apparently…
The trend of “mass customisation” will mean Australian factories will be very different places in the future. AAP

Will mass customisation change Australia’s manufacturing future?

Manufacturers across the world rely on economies from the scale of production to drive down unit cost. This “mass production” approach, focused on efficiency and uniformity of product, is feasible when…
Ford’s departure from Victorian communities will hurt - but it does not have to be devastating. AAP

Ford’s departure is bad news, but not the end of the world

There will be a lot of debate as to why Ford now finds itself in the situation it is in. Ford CEO, Robert Graziano, cited economies of scale as the primary factor that made continuing to produce cars in…
Ford’s impending shutdown of its car-making plants in Australia does not bode well for an already ailing manufacturing sector. AAP

Ford’s exit spells the end of the road for manufacturing

“You’ll never see Japanese cars in an RSL car park.” That was Bill Bourke, Ford Australia’s sales supremo of the ’60s. Bourke was wrong. Dead wrong. In 2016, Ford will cease manufacturing in Australia…
Nearly half of Australian adults are functionally illiterate, with manufacturing workers having some of the country’s lowest literacy levels, a significant issue as the industry continues to shed jobs. AAP Image/Julian Smith

The future for Ford workers: literacy will be key

Yesterday’s announcement that Ford will close its manufacturing operations in Geelong and Broadmeadows by 2016 at the cost of 1,200 jobs raises questions of what the workers’ future employment options…
Ford Australia has announced it will pull its car production out of Australia by 2016, with the loss of 1200 manufacturing jobs.

Ford to pull out of car production in Australia: expert reaction

The future of Australia’s auto manufacturing industry is under a heavy cloud after Ford’s announcement that it would cease its manufacturing operations in Australia by 2016. Ford Australia president Bob…
Recent redundancies at Holden have sparked debate over the need for a revised “industry policy”: but is this really the way forward? AAP/Andrew Brownbill

Industry policy must not second guess markets

The recent GM-Holden redundancies have provoked much comment, in many cases appealing for both state and federal governments to find solutions. But can government solve this dilemma, or is it a (big) part…
Foxconn will hold its first-ever democratic labour union election but freedom of association in China remains limited. AAP Pictures

Foxconn’s labour union elections put Chinese workers’ rights under the spotlight

Apple’s China-based contractor, Foxconn, is following a trend of increasing unionisation at transnational corporations in China by holding its first-ever democratic labour union elections. As reported…
Labor’s jobs package provides its future direction for industry for the first time; but can it deliver, and more importantly, will it survive political opposition? AAP

Planning for a blue-collar Australia: will Labor’s job package deliver?

Labor has finally delivered the detail of its much-awaited vision for shaping Australian industry beyond the mining boom. But will it deliver? In a two part series, UWA Professor Tim Mazzarol examines…
Obama has unveilled two key trade treaties designed to reaffirm America’s place as the world’s leading nation - but many aspects of the treaties run counter to its social development stances.

The two treaties: Obama, trade, and the State of the Union

US President Barack Obama’s State of the Union plan to boost American exports and grow American jobs centres around two key regional trade agreements: the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Trans-Atlantic…
Prepare for more handouts: the taxpayer is the meat in the sandwich between politicians and manuocrats - those who believe the source of all our wealth is manufacturing. AAP

2013: The battle between the taxpayers and the manuocrats

The battleground between business, taxpayers and government for 2013 is taking shape. It is manufacturing and jobs. On Wednesday, building materials company Boral announced at least 700 job cuts in Australia…

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