Industry and Science
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7th September, 2013 Under Labor, hundreds of Australian factories closed, mining investment stalled and business confidence collapsed. Unpredictable government policy led global boardrooms to regard Australia as a country where sovereign risk was an investment concern. Labor slashed funding for the CSIRO and shifted its focus away from industry research and development. |
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23rd May, 2013 Resource projects worth $150 billion have been shelved in the last year, according to Bureau of Resource and Energy Economics (including Browse LNG $36 billion, Outer Harbour $30 billion, Olympic Dam $20 billion, Abbot Point $11 billion and Wandoan $6 billion) (The Australian) Ford announces it will cease production in Australia in 2016 costing 1200 jobs plus many more in the parts manufacture. In January 2012 the Prime Minister announced a bailout of $34 million to Ford with a promise of an extra 300 jobs but within 6 months Ford had axed 330 jobs |
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5th March, 2012 Laborwaste.com.au reports that the Australian Research Council approved projects such as - $578,792 to study an ignored credit instrument in Florentine economy - 314,000 to study whether birds are shinking - $145,000 to study sleeping snails |
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27th January, 2012 Only one in three of the Federal Government's 4,920 vehicle fleet is made in Australia, despite the Government's locally made purchasing policy preference (The Australian) |
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12th October, 2011 BlueScope and OneSteel will be able to slash staff and cut production by 77% and still qualify for a $300 million Government subsidy and Labor's carbon tax steel industry compensation package |
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19th May, 2011 Xstrata annoucnes closure of its Mt Isa copper smelter and Townsville copper refinery with loss of 500 jobs citing uncompetitiveness with Asian operators and inability to meet environmental requirements in Australia |
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10th May, 2011 BUDGET 2011-12 Small Business Entrepreneur’s Tax Offset abolished from 1-6-2012 A $5,000 immediate write off to be allowed for the purchase of a business motor vehicle after 1-6-2012 98 extra staff in the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research National Medical Cyclotron decommissioned saving $8.7 million $33.4 million cut from Cooperative Research Centre Program meaning many centres will be forced to close |
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12th January, 2011 Toyota's Hybrid Camry flops in its first year selling only 7016 units, including 1400 to private buyers, 1400 to fleet buyers and 200 taxis, despite a $35 million Federal Government subsidy |
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11th September, 2010 The Federal Government gives Toyota another $63 million to subsidise a new 4 cylinder engine plant in Victoria despite dismal sales of its subsidised hybrid Camry of which only 889 have been sold to private buyers (total sales 3993) |
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24th June, 2010 Kevin Rudd deposed as Prime Minister and replaced by Ms Julia Gillard |
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10th November, 2008 Labor announces a $6 billion subsidy program for car manufacturers in Australia to 2020 |
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13th May, 2008 BUDGET $63.4 million Budget cuts force closure of CSIRO Regional Research sites including Cooroy Forest Biosciences Station |
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28th March, 2008 Labor prepares to axe CSIRO's Flagships program, along with 1,500 scientists and slash CSIRO's budget by 25% |
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11th February, 2008 Labor abolishes the $5 million Innovation Ambassador Programme which encouraged innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly amongst small business and young Australians |
