Employment change in mining and manufacturing in Australia, 2010/11 - 2015/16: Dissecting the subnational patterns and concentrations

• Published in: Australasian journal of regional studies Vol. 26; no. 1; pp. 29 - 54
• Main Authors: Herath, Shanaka, Jayanthakumaran, Kankesu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wollongong Regional Science Association, Australian and New Zealand Section 01.01.2020; Regional Science Association
• Subjects: Automobile industry; Competition; Competitive advantage; Data processing; Economic aspects; Economic development; Employment; Employment forecasting; Forecasts and trends; GDP; Gross Domestic Product; International economic relations; Manufacturing; Manufacturing industries; Methodology; Mineral industries; Mining industry; Regions; Shift-share analysis; Specialization; State government; Supply chains; Trends; Australia; Victoria
• ISSN: 1324-0935

This paper recognises Krugman's (1991) core-periphery model and analyses the reallocation of employment across the Australian metro and non-metro regions over the period 2010/11-2015/16. The differences were interpreted using shift-share analysis and industry-specific location quotients, and patterns of change and concentrations for mining and manufacturing are highlighted, given the significance of these industries during this period. The industry-specific location quotients suggest that there was a shift in relative concentrations of mining and manufacturing industries in non-metropolitan regions. The shift-share results are consistent and suggest that regional specialisation and regional competitiveness are characteristic of employment change in metro regions. In non-metropolitan regions, employment moved in line with the national effect. The causal factors that explain these employment disparities are the subject of on-going research.