Australian Manufacturing Industrial Policy and Performance Since the 1980s

Abstract

Since the 1980s, there has been undergoing a quiet revolution in the Australian manufacturing policy to shift its focus from a defensive orientation to a forward looking and more selective approach designed to foster the development of innovative, export-oriented industries. The change achieved encouraging performances of the sector: the strong growth in exports; arrest of the long-term decline of manufacturings contribution to national products; and increase in R&D investment. There are still some impediments to improved performance to be overcome, however.