Commanding the Narrative Newsletter 49

Commanding the Narrative - Newsletter 49 - Inadequate Politicians Have Failed Us

Government intervention - or lack thereof - played a role in Australia's manufacturing decline, through a complex mix of factors.

Historically, Australian governments supported manufacturing, including Adelaide’s automotive sector, through tariffs and subsidies.

However, from the 1980s, federal policies shifted toward free-market reforms, reducing tariffs and subsidies (e.g. the Button Plan, 1984), exposing Australia’s industries to global competition.