Customer-centric approach had shifted to innovative approach 30 years ago by IBM, P&G, etc that has gone forward with Google, FB, Tesla, etc. World's top firms today are the innovative ones, not ones with just relationships. Australian resources-top brands, properties, etc are in the hands of Americans, Chinese and British and no one else to be blamed but people of the country itself. How many Aussies have university qualifications? Just 25% (ABS). How many have Masters or PhDs? Here, it's over-qualified for most areas while rest of the world has at least 2 Masters or a PhD as well as professional certifications (all connected to the below points). Australians are also failing with entrepreneurship due to above and below points where most businesses in Australia-90 to 99% are small to medium sized ones (few banks and mining are doing ok though the big ones have hardly any competition there too although the supermarket sector's worse with hardly any competition, innovation, etc).Australia has come out with some innovations but hardly anything compared to the rest of the world even with the basic innovation. Hardly or rather no coopetition (rivals working together in comparison to Netflix and Amazon; Tesla and various car firms; Samsung, Apple, etc) and hardly any blue ocean strategies where not only low cost innovations occur but also opening up of new markets (just few Aussie companies for that). Technical, Science skills low too starting from primary school. Manufacturing busted and most sectors face challenges from Costco, Aldi, Zara, etc. US manufacturing also got busted 30 years back but came out 10 years later and is doing well today-1 of those firms is Intel which can be seen under the video 'Made in USA' by America Revealed under PBS.org.

The value of industrial subsidies seem to mean different things to different people.

If we abandon subsidies to the automotive industry then why not also get rid of the taxpayer subsidies awarded to Private Health Funds?

For that matter, why should we subsidise the cost of diesel fuel, not only to Primary Producers but also to foreign Mining Corporations?

If the broadcasting media don't like it, let them explain why we gave them a $370million "freebie" when it came to their broadcasting licences plus free access to spectrum that others have to pay for?

The answer for all of these is the same - to keep industries viable and to maintain some sort of skill level.

Otherwise we'll all be working in the hospitality industry, serving those foreign investors who come here happy to buy us out.

For that matter, why should we subsidise the cost of diesel fuel,
rache,
there's no need whatsoever to subsidise diesel fuel or quite a lot of other things. What should do is to stop subsidising Government. Diesel fuel would be cheaper than water if not for all the taxes. Australia has a huge problem with hangers-on industries & that's why we can't compete in manufacturing. Too many people getting too much for too little. Bring back reard for effort & our economy will be ok. We spend millions on frivolities & nothing on worthwhile projects. We waste literally billions on utterly unproductive education when for a fraction of that we could have a highly productive national service. People need to have a base for thinking logically & rationally, a national service is that base. As soon as cheap Asian manufacturing implodes we'll be left there looking alomost as stupid as many here are.

Government subsidies or investment should be to provide a "public good" where the market would not normally do so.

In the case of the car industry, the argument for subsidies is based on keeping high tech manufacturing and employment, the argument against this is that there are many high tech manufacturing industries that are struggling, none of whom get any subsidies.

The question is whether jobs in relatively high tech industies be created by other means such reducing red tape. And the answer is overwhelmingly yes, as the coalition has done by approving $400bn worth of projects that labor has sat on for up to 6 years.