Federal Cabinet has approved the federal government’s competitiveness
agenda, with support for areas of strength such as medical technology, mining
and advanced manufacturing to be supported.
The Australian Financial Review reports today that industry minister
Ian Macfarlane has pointed to the need for skills to match an increasingly niche,
high-technology future.
There is speculation that the government could bring back
Australian Technology Colleges, with these to be supported by industry backing.
The AFR reports that details of the technical
colleges program with be given in response to the report given by the National National Industry Investment and Competitiveness Agenda
taskforce, which is expected to report soon.
The taskforce was announced last December in response to the news that General Motors Holden would end its manufacturing operations in 2017.
The recent competitiveness policy change is believed to be
behind the possible breaking of the government’s pre-election promise to build submarines in South Australia.
The competitiveness agenda taskforce is chaired by prime minister Tony
Abbott and was originally scheduled to report by the end of June.
Image: ABC