National Manufacturing Summit 2017

After years of downsizing and pessimism, there are encouraging signs that manufacturing industry in Australia may be turning a corner. Employment and new orders have grown. Business optimism is improving. And Australians still firmly believe that a healthy manufacturing sector is crucial to national prosperity.

The Centre for Future Work and The Australia Institute is hosting the National Manufacturing Summit, a one-day gathering at Parliament House. The goal is to gather experts from industry, the policy community, higher education, and the media to discuss the renewed positive potential for Australian manufacturing, consider how the industry is presently perceived, identify barriers to its future expansion, and propose initiatives to accelerate the sector’s innovation and growth.

For years, Australians have heard mostly 'bad' news from manufacturing: losses, closures, and redundancies. They could be forgiven for assuming this sector has no future. But that pessimism is badly misplaced: in fact, this is a unique moment of opportunity for Australian manufacturing. The rebalancing of the national economy (in light of changing trade patterns, commodity prices, and exchange rates) creates important openings for advanced manufacturing. And Australia’s proven capacities for innovation and design are another crucial advantage. Already there are encouraging signs that manufacturers are taking advantage of these opportunities: employment in the sector increased significantly over the last year. Speakers and panels will include industry leaders, policy experts, political leaders, and journalists.

Keynote speaker

Robert Kuttner | Heller School, Brandeis University; and Co-Editor of The American Prospect (pictured)

Manufacturing Jobs and the Well-Being of Our Communities: A View From the U.S.

The loss of manufacturing jobs has caused widespread, lasting hardship in many industrial societies. And now, in the wake of Brexit and Trump, the political consequences of that ongoing hardship can no longer be ignored. Why is manufacturing work so important to the well-being of communities, and what can be done to start repairing the damage?

Other speakers

Laura Tingle, Political Editor, Australian Financial Review; Richard Denniss, Chief Economist, The Australia Institute,  Roy Green, Dean, UTS Business School,  David Turvey, Dept. of Industry, Innovation & Science,  Jill Sheppard, Australian National University, Sean Wong, Manager of Product Innovation & Technology, BlueScope Steel Ltd,  Grant Anderson, Chief Executive Officer, the ANCA Group, Jens Goennemann, Managing Director, Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre … and political leaders from across the spectrum: Minister for Industry Senator Arthur Sinodinos, Senator Kim Carr, Shadow Minister for Industry, Senator Nick Xenophon, Leader, Nick Xenophon Team, Senator Lee Rhiannon, Spokesperson for Industry, Australian Greens.

Event Cost:

$41.99 – $308.49