The formation of the Australian Manufacturing Council was announced in the 'White Paper of Manufacturing Industry May 1977' (Commonwealth Parliamentary Paper No. 116/1977), which was tabled in Parliament on 24 May 1977. It replaced the Manufacturing Industry Advisory Council (CA 1613) which had been operating since 1958.

Members were appointed by 22 July 1980 (1) and Council held its inaugural meeting on 27 July 1980.(2) The Council drew its members from industry, trade unions, commerce, agriculture, mining, consumers and the State and Federal governments.

The Council met in plenary session every 3-4 months but there was also a ten member Executive Committee, which met before each Council meeting and at other times, and a number of Working Parties of five-six members which inquired into certain aspects of the manufacturing industry.(3)

In the White Paper which announced its formation, the Council was envisaged as a representative organisation providing broadly-based advice on industry policy. Its main functions were described as providing a forum for discussion and advising on "policy matters germane to the whole of Australian manufacturing industry, production and cost patterns, trends of development and change, the overall performance of industry, and industry's interface with society generally".

It was given the specific functions of:

• assisting the Department of Industry and Commerce with an Annual Review of Manufacturing Industry and
• convening an outlook conference at which government, industry and trade unions could discuss industrial development prospects and policies

At its inaugural meeting the Council was directed by the Minister for Industry and Commerce to prepare a report of its operations on an annual basis.

The Australian Manufacturing Council's terms of reference were to:

• provide a tripartite forum for dialogue between parties to develop joint understanding on issues affecting the competitiveness of manufacturing industry and to communicate this understanding throughout industry
• act as a consultative body and provide advice to the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology
• undertake activities to improve the competitiveness of manufacturing industry.

The 1993-95 council concluded its term on 30 June 1995. The new council was announced in November 1995. The chair of the new council was Mr Alan Jackson AO. This last council had only one meeting, in Melbourne in December 1995 prior to announcement of the March 1996 election. Folowing this election the Australian Manufacturing was to be disbanded. The functions of the Australian Manufacturing Council were discontinued. The council effectively ceased operations on the 30 June 1996.

The 34 initial members of the Council appointed to two years, were as follows:

Sir Brian Inglis (Chairman)
H G Aston, CBE
A J Campbell OBE
R H Carnegie
N S Currie, OBE
M Dillon
S F N Hickson
Prof W P Hogan
D B Horgan
Dr W L Hughes
R J Kirby
R R Law-Smith, CBE
J B Leslie, MC
B T Loton
A C B Maiden, CBE
Sir John Marks, CBE
Sir Charles McGrath, OBE
P O Miller
T L North
J A Rickard
O D Sperling
R L Stock
J A Uhrig
Sir Alan Westerman, CBE
R.J. White
D J Ives
R J Hawke
F E Peterson
E C Bennett
L C Townsend
R T Scott
T N Cappie-Wood
J V Bensted
Mr E R Gorham.

Subsequent Chairmen were Mr J Leslie, appointed from 1 August 1979, and Mr R Kirby, appointed from 14 November 1980.

References:

1. Department of Industry and Commerce, Ministerial Press Release No.IC 77/51, of 24 July 1977

2. Department of Industry and Commerce, Ministerial Press Release No.IC 77/5s of 27 July 1977

3. 'Australian Manufacturing Council, Annual Report, 1977-78' Commonwealth Parliamentary Paper No. 32/1979

Agency address:

by1978: Department Industry and Commerce, Kings Avenue, Barton ACT