Region. Manufacturing at risk

Given that Western Sydney is one of Australia’s a major manufacturing area and a major employer, the sector would be concerned that policymakers have written it off. In its latest quarterly Statement on Monetary Policy, the Reserve Bank sees the resource sector as the future of Australia's prosperity and warns manufacturing will shrink. Treasury secretary, Ken Henry, has forecast an Australia in 40 years with an even larger mining sector and much smaller manufacturing sector. Also, a report by University of Technology Sydney professor, Roy Green, commissioned by the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, found that Australian manufacturing managers were at best mediocre and particularly bad at managing people and innovation. Smaller companies performed worse, which was a concern because Australian industry has a relatively larger proportion of small-sized firms.