Plans to construct a new manufacturing facility in western NSW could be in jeopardy after a survey found more than one-third of respondents had reservations about the project’s viability.
Key points:The survey of 1,000 people found that about two-thirds of respondents felt the project was not viableThe survey found a lack of confidence in the project had a significant impact on the projectThe survey, conducted by Ipsos Reid, found nearly one-quarter of respondents said they had not been able to secure financing to undertake the project on their own, and more than a third of respondents were unsure about the future of the project.
“The survey also revealed a lack the confidence in an existing manufacturing facility,” the company said.
The NSW government’s Industrial Strategy, released in February, called for “new manufacturing facilities that will help meet growing demand for the state’s goods”.
“The State Government is committed to building and maintaining new manufacturing facilities in NSW, and the majority of our workforce has the right skills and the right qualifications to do so,” the Strategy said.
“We will also invest in infrastructure and employment opportunities that will support a vibrant, high-wage manufacturing sector.”
Industry Minister Chris Hipkins said the state government would make sure the project met the needs of the new industry.
“New manufacturing will create jobs for people and we need that for NSW,” he said.
Labor’s environment spokesman Mark Butler said the report highlighted the “critical role” of local businesses in helping the industry grow.
“Our industries are not built on the backs of a few small businesses,” he told the ABC.
“There’s a whole range of people working in the sector that are really trying to make it happen.”
The NSW Government is working on a “more holistic approach” to the manufacturing sector, he said, but the issue was “more than just about one-off jobs”.
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