Too Little and Too Late for Victorian Manufacturing

19 Dec 11

The Victorian Government is set to announce it's Manufacturing strategy today with grants worth $4 million with the aim of creating 400 Manufacturing jobs.

In a move that is said to revive Victoria's manufacturing base, one has to question whether such a small investment by the Victorian government will achieve much in terms of the wholesale demise of Victoria's manufacturing base, and resultant substantial job losses, that started some time ago. Where was the Government assistance then?

The assistance is said to be in the form of grants, however no details are yet known apart from the fact it will favour company's wanting to develop export markets. The Government is also said to be refining 32 industry programs down to five areas that it considers to be priorities.

The Manufacturing strategy is reportedly to be released at the same time as the Victorian government responds to it's Competition and Efficiency Commission's inquiry into manufacturing. Industry is calling for the Victorian government to fall into line with Federal government objectives to ensure that it's projects contain significant local content.

Unlike other states of Australia, Victoria is not blessed with natural resources that can be mined and is therefore reliant to a high degree on it's Manufacturing base as a key employing sector. The Victorian government has been silent on the Manufacturing sector for sometime, so industry awaits the announcement of it's Manufacturing strategy with scepticism, particularly as the rumoured size of the assistance is small in terms of what is actually required, to secure the future of Victorian Manufacturing jobs.