Following the disclosure of the levels of government support given to Holden, subsidies to Australia’s three automotive manufacturers are in the spotlight, with Toyota Australia is choosing to keep its details a secret.
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Holden discloses subsidy details
General Motors Holden has revealed that it has received $2.2 billion in federal government assistance over the last 12 years, which the company claims represents good value for money.
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Dow Chemical boss urges policy-makers to support consumers, not gas exporters
Free gas marketeers are content to “kill” Australian manufacturing and other sectors, and to allow to country to become dependent on resource exports, according to Dow Chemical CEO and chairman Andrew Liveris.
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Combet announces $200 million funding for Aussie start-ups
At least $200 million will be invested into early stage, high growth Australian companies by three new venture capital funds supported by the federal government’s Innovation Investment Fund (IIF).
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Dow Chemical CEO chides “entitlement society”, repeats calls for discounted gas
The Australian-born CEO and chairman of US-based Dow Chemical company, Andrew Liveris, has repeated his call for the limiting gas exports to boost the manufacturing sector, and criticised both political infighting and the “entitlement society” in Australia.
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AI Group welcomes Gillard Government reshuffle
The Australian Industry Group has welcomed the Gillard Government's cabinet reshuffle and says it's looking forward to working with the new ministers.
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Carbon tax blamed for record insolvencies
ASIC data has shown company insolvencies for the last 12 months at record highs, with the carbon tax blamed by some for contributing to the number.
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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.
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The debate over 457 visas has reached the bottom of the barrel
During the past week we have heard a chorus of comments from the federal government
and the ACTU claiming rorting by unscrupulous businesses and suggestions that the treatment of some 457 visa holders is ‘‘tantamount to slavery’’.
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Government sues QLD boat maker
The South Australian Government is suing a manufacturer for allegedly supplying it with a search and rescue boat that failed to live up to expectations.
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457 system “out of control”: Gillard
Prime Minister Julia Gillard says the 457 visa system is “out of control” and new measures are needed to help Australian businesses and workers.
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Apprentice wages not keeping up with reality: ETU
Research produced by the University of Sydney Workplace Research Centre has shown that many apprentices are living below the poverty line, says the Electrical Trades Union.
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Opposition wouldn’t cut wages, deflate dollar
Joe Hockey will today address a half-day Committee for Economic Development Australia conference at Brisbane, ruling out both major industrial relations changes and intervention to lower the Australian dollar.
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Perth manufacturer caught cheating 457 visas
A manufacturer based in Perth is one of three firms the Federal Government claims it has caught trying to rort the 457 visa system.
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Visa complaint could see steel workers deported
An unnamed union has filed a 457 visa complaint against four Filipino steel workers that could see them forced to leave Australia.
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Federal government announces manufacturing innovation precinct
Cuts to R&D tax credits to some of Australia’s biggest companies will fund a network of innovation precincts, the first of which will be dedicated to manufacturing.
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Gillard announces measures to encourage local content on major projects
The federal government announced its plan to boost local participation in major projects, funded by a cut in R & D tax concessions to Australia’s biggest companies.
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AMWU told by Federal Court not to picket at Werribee
The AMWU has been ordered to not block access by contract workers to the City West Water treatment plant in Werribee.
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Comment piece: Sophie Mirabella on how the Coalition would remove the shackles on manufacturers
In response to Greg Combet's piece on this year's federal election being a referendum on manufacturing, Sophie Mirabella writes exclusively for Manufacturers' Monthly on what the Coalition would do to help our industry regain its competitive edge.
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Calls for a gas reservation scheme is protectionism in disguise
Queensland is poised to become a major export hub for liquefied natural gas (LNG). Given the West Australian experience, where LNG is already exported to Asia, this will cause domestic gas prices to rise. According to the DomGas Alliance, a group of Western Australian energy users, “gas prices have risen sharply from $2.50 per gigajoule in Western Australia to $8/GJ”.
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