The way this country's being stripped of it's resources and our industry and jobs along with them we might not be able to afford it much longer anyway.
we have no industry because we cost too much. we cost too much because the dollar is so high. the dollar is too high because of the mining and recources sector has driven it up in addition to the dollars safe haven status. the dollar has safe haven status because our economy is so strong.
we cost too much because we can't compete with overseas imports who flood our retail market with cheap imports, sometimes below cost which they can do because in many cases they are subsidised by their government who in turn often receive foreign aid from developed countries. Australian manufacturing often don't even have acess to our own resources as cheaply as overseas competitors do. Our economy is strong because wer'e riding high on foreign investment. So far.
we cant compete on cost. labour costs mostly. there is nothing a government can do about that except breach free trade agreements , and we dont have any politicians willing to entertain the thought except katter, and he's bonkers.
