Are you prepared to work until you are 70?

[i-need-a-martini]

There is no way I will be. I am not planning to work beyond 55!

But it won't affect people like me will it? I have my own plans and they will be self funded.

So once again, it will be those less fortunate and less able to take care of themselves who will suffer.

[*crikey*mate*]

---

@just_me_karen wrote:
DH, And you said manufacturing "etc". What does the "etc" refer to?

If you need to focus on manufacturing only, take a farmer as an example.

Who will manufacture his/her:

Replacement windscreen
Header replacement blades
Work boots
Fencing wire
Grain storage
Water tanks
Fence uprights
Fertiliser
Dredging guns

and the 1000s of other manufactured items that make agriculture possible?

You're suggesting all these things aren't required in our economy and our entire population should educate to get a desk job. You're saying these things can be made overseas.

As an economist, please explain whether this would have any impact on our economy, productivity and food security.

TIA.

---

and lets just have a look at work boots, eh?

Manufactured in Australia?

Birkenstocks = Germany

Blundstone =

All Blundstone gumboots are made in our Hobart factory located in Tasmania. Our Leather footwear is manufactured overseas by our manufacturing partners. We take great pride ensuring that all Blundstone products are made to the highest standard and deliver maximum comfort.

redback =

Redback Boots are 100% Australian made and owned. The Cloros family who operate the business are 4th Generation boot makers. Family members work hands on in the factory every day, to ensure the highest standard of production quality.

Redback means vision . In the early 1990s the Australian Government accelerated the removal of Tariff barriers protecting Australian Boot makers. Many footwear manufacturers decided to use this opportunity to source cheap semi finished products from third World Countries where costs are low.
Redback decided to go the opposite way. The Cloros family decided there was a market for hand made, high quality specialist boots for specific industry purposes. And began making a high quality range of boots for Firefighters, Police, Paramedics, Smelter and Steel makers, and Defense Force personnel. These boots are now exported to customers around the world.

The experience gained from the rigorous demands placed on them to develop this high performance specialist footwear have led Redback to build a range of General Purpose Industrial, Hike and Casual Footwear.

Because Redback Boots are tougher, lighter and more comfortable than ordinary footwear Redback has achieved enormous growth. Starting with just 5 employees in 1989 there are now over 100 people involved in boot production and distribution from their Sydney factory for Australian and Export Markets

RM Williams

Some R. M. Williams products are now made outside of Australia (mostly in China and SE Asia),

On 26 March 2013, the Cowley family released a statement in which the public was made aware of an intention to sell the company to a new owner for AUS$100 million sum. The statement described the sale process as an assessment of "external commercial growth and expansion plans" and the list of potential buyers included Oroton Group, Premier Investments and LVMH. As of March 2013, R.M. Williams Ltd consists of 50 retail stores and 900 stockists, and also exports to 15 countries.[5] In April 2013, R.M. Williams sold a 49.9% stake to L Capital, the private equity affiliate of LVMH.[6]

Tenterfield Saddler is about the only manufacturer and producer of Australian Boots/Leathergoods we have left, and as brian is pretty old now, who knows where that lagacy will go.

Now, of those that are produced and manufactured in Australia - how much do they cost? Can the average worker afford those or do they go to the $100 - $200 ones made overseas?

[*crikey*mate*]

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@donnashuggy wrote:

I don't think it is just the physical stuff that is difficult as you age, doesn't your memory fade too? I'm glad I work for myself because I am kind to myself when I make mistakes and there are plenty of those.

I do think older people are probably more reliable and I wouldn't hesitate to employ someone 70 years old but it is a bit scary that they are not covered if they get injured.

---

It is, huh?

Hopefully someone will create legislation to enable and facilitate better working conditions and insurance etc

[donnashuggy]

Insurance companies would see the risks involved.

[*crikey*mate*]

---

@lakeland27 wrote:

we are capable of self-sufficiency . its more a case of there being nothing in it for multinationals who call the shots.

---

How?

At what cost?

Can Australia seriously manufacture and supply every single thing that Australians want at a price and quantity that Australians can afford, in the timeframe that they want?

Do we close the doors to international technologies and ideas?

Where was the humble biro invented?

Our computers?

Seriously, Australia can manufacture and supply enough computers to satisfy Australia's wants?

All the foods we want? In both the quantities and varieties that we are now accutomed to and demand?

coffee. tea, rice, sugar, wool, cotton, ????

we can't even produce enough people to be self sufficient, and doing that is enjoyable!

[*crikey*mate*]

---

@donnashuggy wrote:

Insurance companies would see the risks involved.

---

Well, the Gov managed to step in just recently and impose govt regulations and rewrite negligence laws and provide a whole new framework.

[just_me_karen]

As an economist, DH, i thought you might be able to perceive a few issues with manufacturing absolutely everything overseas. So I guess we don't need agriculture either? They'll need desk jobs. That'll work well lol.

I once owned a Renault. It was a great little French car, until it needed parts. The parts were manufactured in France and could only be imported by the shipping container. For one spare part I had to wait two months.

How productive would the farmer be if he had to wait two months for spare parts? A header blade, for example?

[*crikey*mate*]

self sufficiency?

where does most of our medical equipment come from and the technology to use and operate it?

pacemakers?

prothetics?

medicines?

fire engines?

fire hoses?

moderation software for ebay.... (*smirk*)

the little red and blue flashing lights on the police cars

stoves, ovens, kettles, toasters, carpet, tiles

etc etc

can Australia really produce everything that we want and need?

[*crikey*mate*]

---

@just_me_karen wrote:
As an economist, DH, i thought you might be able to perceive a few issues with manufacturing absolutely everything overseas. So I guess we don't need agriculture either? They'll need desk jobs. That'll work well lol.

I once owned a Renault. It was a great little French car, until it needed parts. The parts were manufactured in France and could only be imported by the shipping container. For one spare part I had to wait two months.

How productive would the farmer be if he had to wait two months for spare parts? A header blade, for example?

---

Of course we need this stuff, but the paridigms of how it is supplied is changing.

Remember when the dairy farmer milked his cows by hand? Now they use machines,.

Or mustering the cattle? These days they use helicopters!

ploughing the fields?

............................

It's not about manufacturing here now, it is about the supply chanin and having those things we need available on demand.

........................

anyway, live in your bubble while the world changes around you.

Australia and Australians welcomed globalization, infact they begged for it and continue to do so now.

This is how it works.

Don't like globilization or capitalist society?

go stand in line for toilet paper in russia

But arguing with me and insulting me is not going to change the facts that the industrial revolution is over for Australia, and we need to now embrace the age of knowledge if we want any kind of reasonabl;e lifestyle.

We have to stop expecting the government is going to support us, cos the day is approaching, where they just aren't going to anymore.

So dig ya heels in and plough your fields, and see if that puts food on your table when your 70.

[debra9275]

go stand in line for toilet paper in russia

no I'll bite my tongue instead 

[just_me_karen]

That didn't answer my question, DH.