Delay tipped for Toyota's stay-or-go announcement Toyota's Altona factory. Photo: Jason South Toyota Australia has indicated it may delay an announcement on its manufacturing future until the second half of 2014, dispelling fears it is being pressured for a quick answer by its parent company in Japan. It comes as the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries calls on the government to reassess Australia's free-trade agreements, with the chamber's chief executive saying these agreements had failed local manufacturers and parts suppliers. Toyota is working on stripping $3800 from the cost of producing each car in Australia, in an effort to make its Altona plant in Melbourne competitive with eight other Camry plants globally. The plant opens on Monday after a lengthy three-week summer shutdown. Toyota Australia sales and marketing executive director Tony Cramb said on Monday the company's parent in Japan was being patient but he admitted the local arm was under "unprecedented pressure." "We indicated [in November] that it would be midyear that we would make the decision," he said. That would be the normal timing, but we may have to push it back. Toyota's plans have been stalled by a Federal Court battle with employees over a new workplace agreement it wants. Toyota has appealed against a Federal Court decision last month that prevented it from putting a deal to cut wages and conditions to a vote of staff at its Altona plant, as part of a $17 million cost-cutting plan. The appeal is not expected to be heard until at least March. Mr Cramb said "the writing was not on the wall" despite the court setback. "It was disappointing; we wanted to send a strong message to our parent that we were prepared to do what it takes to secure local manufacturing," he said. It's not devastating, it's just disappointing. Toyota intends to export at least 70 per cent of the cars it makes at Altona this year - at least 70,000 vehicles. Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries chief Tony Weber said previous governments had failed manufacturers by not ensuring conditions of free-trade agreements were suitable for exporters. He said the agreements provided importers with minimal tariffs and low barriers to entry, but the same couldn't be said for Australian manufacturers exporting. "It's really important that we get real reciprocal access out of the whole spectrum of free-trade agreements," he said. It's something we've failed to do in the past. The government has failed to achieve real access in some free-trade agreements it has signed and that has been a big mistake. Mr Weber said despite the looming closures of Ford and Holden, revised free-trade agreements would still be beneficial to Australian parts suppliers hamstrung by high export tariffs and taxes. The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union believes that, if Toyota is considering remaining in the country, it is likely to be in negotiations with the federal government now about support.