Watched the start of Q&A and noticed Bill mentioned a similar Dental theme to what I have been pushing lately on this thread.  Dental health, like other basic health matters, is a necessity not an optional extra

Why Dental and Optical was left off medicare, god only knows.

Aaron, when it comes to consumer electronics, I agree with you. There is only one place to source them - OS.

But,

For everything else including furniture and bricks, it's from here.


Part of the problem is that much of what we used to manufacture is now from China.

There is a company that used to make home grown car radiators. I thought I would replace my OEM car radiator with an Aussie one. They had a good reputation. I went through two in four months. They leaked badly and separated on the sides. Found out they were made in China. I cut my losses and ordered an OEM one again...

I've seen a video about an Australian bloke making pinball machines in China, the biggest issue here is the crap and slow supply chain. Over there you can have a BATCH of new made parts by the end of the day.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnPhAn2_bjk

Much like the car industry, our train industry seemed to only make one "type" of locomotive/rollingstock at any one time. We're good at being the one trick pony.

Also, on a side note: companies can get good stuff from china if they aren't going for the thinnest margins for expenditure ever, which Australian companies seem to do more often than not.

Aaron, when it comes to consumer electronics, I agree with you. There is only one place to source them - OS.

But,

For everything else including furniture and bricks, it's from here.


Part of the problem is that much of what we used to manufacture is now from China.

There is a company that used to make home grown car radiators. I thought I would replace my OEM car radiator with an Aussie one. They had a good reputation. I went through two in four months. They leaked badly and separated on the sides. Found out they were made in China. I cut my losses and ordered an OEM one again...

Bricks are imported because the owner of Australia's biggest brick manufacturing company that recently bought into the USA brick manufacturing found out that it was cheaper to make bricks in the USA, note I said USA, not China and ship to Sydney. He predicts that if nothing changes soon production of bricks in Australia will quickly retract in both his company and competitors. Interesting radio interview, worth a listen and real eye-opener.

Regarding your comment earlier, you wouldn't buy OS bricks, would you even check?

Base line mass produced electronics are made OS because its cheaper, as is anything else that is cheaper and Australia's former electronics manufacturing industry lead the path that the textile industry, the car assembly industry and potentially the brick industry all followed. Outed by their very un-loyal customer base.

You tried the Chinese brand radiator, you (and everyone else) are part of the problem and why the "Aussie Made" promotions are basically a failure in the developed world's least patriotic market. The fact you tried it means price is No.1 as will be for those building houses when choosing bricks. Had the Chinese radiator held up, you'd probably have promoted it to someone else needing a radiator and it snow balls from here. China obviously doesn't make 100% of its radiators fail in 2mths, so sooner or later they will import the better brand and say good bye to anything local.

Outstanding performance by bill shorten last night on Q and A. He has now got my vote for the election based on his performance. He is a man who could lead this country and make all of us feel better about a country which has been in social decline for years. He is on about the environment and is investing big in rail and public transport.

Go bill.

Oh well, we know his propaganda works on at least one person. Now about those cleaners in Vic who had their salaries cut by half without any debate or discussion......

Outstanding performance by bill shorten last night on Q and A. He has now got my vote for the election based on his performance. He is a man who could lead this country and make all of us feel better about a country which has been in social decline for years. He is on about the environment and is investing big in rail and public transport.

Go bill.

Oh well, we know his propaganda works on at least one person. Now about those cleaners in Vic who had their salaries cut by half without any debate or discussion......

Can't say I like the Labor team much either, Chris Bowen in particular is a bash-the-workers Thatcherite through-and-through. They're not really that interested in addressing the wages slide, if they did then they'd stop giving foreign university and vocational graduates visas to work in service industries after they graduate. Neither side will touch that one as the universities themselves have become really power political lobbyists in their own right and an 'export industry' - the poor 'working class' (whatever that means now-days) will have to be content with falling living standards and less secure work regardless of who wins in my opinion.

Also heard today Labor also wanted to give away 100,000 or so parent visas which p*ssed me off when I heard that - even more strain on the Centrelink and Medicare systems if they're full residency visas. These schemes aren't free, they were built up and maintained by generations of working Australians but we already have 2.2 million aged pensioners and its growing way faster than any other type of benefit without the addition of aged migrants. Wasn't our whizz-bang Paul Keating designed superannuation system supposed to mean the pension would only be accessible by a select few genuinely poor retired people by now? Instead there's more people on Centrelink than ever.

The only difference I can really see between the LNP and Labor parties is Shorten's ridiculously open-ended commitment to go a hundred percent green by 2030, it's NBN bottomless pit spending all over again.

Base line mass produced electronics are made OS because its cheaper, as is anything else that is cheaper and Australia's former electronics manufacturing industry lead the path that the textile industry, the car assembly industry and potentially the brick industry all followed. Outed by their very un-loyal customer base.

And by the most expensive electricity and gas in the world, this doesn't get discussed often enough. Who in their right mind would want to set up any sort of a business - particularly in South Australia - given we are the most expensive place to switch the lights on in the world?

And what happens when living standards are in absolute free-fall here, doesn't seem to be far off now! The kicker with Hawke and Keating was that when they said we had to compete with Asia they meant we had to become like them in every way - including high density living and lower living standards.

It could have been a lot worse than an egging, especially given how worked up people can get over politics these days.

Instead of an egg, it could have been an entire pavlova or something even more decadent like a fresh cheesecake or cream pie.

Those CWA members can really cook. It could have been an all out food fight with just desserts flying thick and fast... With no prisoners taken.

Base line mass produced electronics are made OS because its cheaper, as is anything else that is cheaper and Australia's former electronics manufacturing industry lead the path that the textile industry, the car assembly industry and potentially the brick industry all followed. Outed by their very un-loyal customer base.

And by the most expensive electricity and gas in the world, this doesn't get discussed often enough. Who in their right mind would want to set up any sort of a business - particularly in South Australia - given we are the most expensive place to switch the lights on in the world?

And what happens when living standards are in absolute free-fall here, doesn't seem to be far off now! The kicker with Hawke and Keating was that when they said we had to compete with Asia they meant we had to become like them in every way - including high density living and lower living standards.

I think the bulk of the voting public still place power and gas at the feet of the states. However like most things these days it seems the Feds are now involved so again we have yet another sector controlled by one side and screwed by another's influence and policy. One sector, one level of govt!

Keating and Hawke did the right thing, we were never an economic island and with the industrialisation of Asia, it was only a matter of time we got beaten at our own game if we continued to operate fat and inefficient industry and as we move into a global era, we need to change and adapt.

It could have been a lot worse than an egging, especially given how worked up people can get over politics these days.

Instead of an egg, it could have been an entire pavlova or something even more decadent like a fresh cheesecake or cream pie.

Those CWA members can really cook. It could have been an all out food fight with just desserts flying thick and fast... With no prisoners taken.

An old school friend who was part of the CWA cooked for myself and her husband some scones some years back, had he'd been hit with one of those the thrower would be out for murder.

Maybe the next debate should be themed off the pie fight scene from The Great Race.

That I'd pay to see

Regards

I think the bulk of the voting public still place power and gas at the feet of the states. However like most things these days it seems the Feds are now involved so again we have yet another sector controlled by one side and screwed by another's influence and policy. One sector, one level of govt!

Your hero Tony Abbott promised Australian domestic consumers would have much lower electricity prices under the Coalition in 2013. In fact he said $550 p/a less. Why make a promise like that if you have no control? Ultimately the Commonwealth could nationalise the infrastructure if they wanted to - instead they make us suffer.

Keating and Hawke did the right thing, we were never an economic island and with the industrialisation of Asia, it was only a matter of time we got beaten at our own game if we continued to operate fat and inefficient industry and as we move into a global era, we need to change and adapt.

"Change and adapt" means we will have living standards the same as the Asian neighbours that we are competing against. In terms of decline in living standards, you ain't seen nothing yet.

"Change and adapt" means we will have living standards the same as the Asian neighbours that we are competing against. In terms of decline in living standards, you ain't seen nothing yet.

Not meaning to sound racist, but with so many Asian people now living in Australia, perhaps we should adopt their living standards?

An old school friend who was part of the CWA cooked for myself and her husband some scones some years back, had he'd been hit with one of those the thrower would be out for murder.

Important to know the difference:

The Stone of Scone plays a major part in the coronation of a new monarch of the UK, and is a significant symbol of Scottish nationhood.

The Scone of Stone plays a politely tolerated part in afternoon tea at a local fete, and is a symbol of poor quality baking.

It was mentioned on radio yesterday that the Australian Federal Police, originally Commonwealth Police, was formed as a result of an egg being thrown at PM Billy Hughes in 1917 and Hughes not being satisfied with the lack of action by Queensland Police.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_Police

I think the bulk of the voting public still place power and gas at the feet of the states. However like most things these days it seems the Feds are now involved so again we have yet another sector controlled by one side and screwed by another's influence and policy. One sector, one level of govt!

Your hero Tony Abbott promised Australian domestic consumers would have much lower electricity prices under the Coalition in 2013. In fact he said $550 p/a less. Why make a promise like that if you have no control? Ultimately the Commonwealth could nationalise the infrastructure if they wanted to - instead they make us suffer.

Keating and Hawke did the right thing, we were never an economic island and with the industrialisation of Asia, it was only a matter of time we got beaten at our own game if we continued to operate fat and inefficient industry and as we move into a global era, we need to change and adapt.

"Change and adapt" means we will have living standards the same as the Asian neighbours that we are competing against. In terms of decline in living standards, you ain't seen nothing yet.

I know, he was a fool. He was only focused on the CO2  taxcomponent which was not a major factor.

Commonwealth cannot afford to Nationlise the power sector, it would be beyond their funding capacity and only to reduce revenue through cuts in prices makes it even worse.

Change and adapt means acknowledging your protectionist way of existence is coming to an end whether you like it or not. You can crash or you can evolve. If you didn't notice prior to these changes the economy was in a downward spiral as the consumers were peeved off with low quality high cost local made goods. Also, move away from making basic low value and/or low tech items that someone in Asia can do for a fraction of the price to something the Asian's want to buy from you because they don't have the cultural, skills and experience to do so.

It was mentioned on radio yesterday that the Australian Federal Police, originally Commonwealth Police, was formed as a result of an egg being thrown at PM Billy Hughes in 1917 and Hughes not being satisfied with the lack of action by Queensland Police.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_Police

This came up following egg-boy incident.

I know, he was a fool. He was only focused on the CO2  taxcomponent which was not a major factor.

Commonwealth cannot afford to Nationlise the power sector, it would be beyond their funding capacity and only to reduce revenue through cuts in prices makes it even worse.

Rubbish, Bill Shorten is proposing to spend $1,000,000,000,000 (a trillion) on moving us to completely green sources of energy by 2030. Nationalisation doesn't necessarily mean paying full market rates for the assets they're acquiring - and even then the national power system wouldn't be anywhere near a trillion dollars.

Change and adapt means acknowledging your protectionist way of existence is coming to an end whether you like it or not. You can crash or you can evolve. If you didn't notice prior to these changes the economy was in a downward spiral as the consumers were peeved off with low quality high cost local made goods.

Again, rubbish. Local goods were EXTREMELY HIGH QUALITY, how many Hills Hoists are there still in operation around Australia 70 years after they were made? My mechanic tells me my BA Falcon ute was one of the best cars that Ford ever made and it should keep running for decades. The quality of the goods had nothing to do with it - the fact is that we couldn't compete against people working for $2 a day - end-of-story.

In my very limited experience of visiting Asia I can tell you I've got absolutely no desire to replicate their living standards in this country - especially given the huge social problems that accompany that poverty. You might view it as a favourable thing that our living standards are going down but I don't - and you'll probably feel the same way once you get back here and find yourself either unemployed or unable to make enough money to make ends meet.

"Change and adapt" means we will have living standards the same as the Asian neighbours that we are competing against. In terms of decline in living standards, you ain't seen nothing yet.

Not meaning to sound racist, but with so many Asian people now living in Australia, perhaps we should adopt their living standards?

Okay, you first.

Aaron, when it comes to consumer electronics, I agree with you. There is only one place to source them - OS.

But,

For everything else including furniture and bricks, it's from here.


Part of the problem is that much of what we used to manufacture is now from China.

There is a company that used to make home grown car radiators. I thought I would replace my OEM car radiator with an Aussie one. They had a good reputation. I went through two in four months. They leaked badly and separated on the sides. Found out they were made in China. I cut my losses and ordered an OEM one again...

Bricks are imported because the owner of Australia's biggest brick manufacturing company that recently bought into the USA brick manufacturing found out that it was cheaper to make bricks in the USA, note I said USA, not China and ship to Sydney. He predicts that if nothing changes soon production of bricks in Australia will quickly retract in both his company and competitors. Interesting radio interview, worth a listen and real eye-opener.

Regarding your comment earlier, you wouldn't buy OS bricks, would you even check?

Base line mass produced electronics are made OS because its cheaper, as is anything else that is cheaper and Australia's former electronics manufacturing industry lead the path that the textile industry, the car assembly industry and potentially the brick industry all followed. Outed by their very un-loyal customer base.

You tried the Chinese brand radiator, you (and everyone else) are part of the problem and why the "Aussie Made" promotions are basically a failure in the developed world's least patriotic market. The fact you tried it means price is No.1 as will be for those building houses when choosing bricks. Had the Chinese radiator held up, you'd probably have promoted it to someone else needing a radiator and it snow balls from here. China obviously doesn't make 100% of its radiators fail in 2mths, so sooner or later they will import the better brand and say good bye to anything local.

I have built two dwellings. Used PGH bricks - a long time ago. I also had a look at Austral and Boral. Back then... I am certain they all baked their bricks locally. Same with Monier cement roof tiles. If I had to build a shed or some other structure, even a new home, I would look at locally made weatherboard or corrugated iron - if there are stonemasons about, I would even consider local rock.

As for the radiator, I was under the impression that the radiator was Australian made, because the company I bought it from have been beating their chests that they were an Australian company (and presumably, their radiators were still Australian made). After having two radiators in a short space of time, I was done with it. That is when I found out that their rads were made in China. Within 2 months, the first rad separated on one of the sides. The same happened with the second one that replaced the first one under warranty. When that started leaking 2 months into its use, I had it ripped out and replaced by OEM. The chinese rads were installed by so called radiator specialists who pushed the Australian brand. The OEM was done by a dealer and I cut my losses with the so called Australian radiator company rather than lose my engine.

I am not Chinese bashing, because I understand and know that they can make some great products to strict manufacturing specifications for local or international companies, that is the reality. Unfortunately, I am yet to be convinced about their autoparts.

However, as good as USA bricks might be, I would draw the line on importing them to build an outhouse. I also realise that other consumers wouldn't care either way.

Bricks now imported from the USA?  That would require the burning of a lot of greenhouse gases to ship such a heavy commodity half-way around the world.

Next thing you know our railways will use ballast rocks shipped from South African quarries...

Nuts!

Meanwhile, across the Ditch, Jacinta (Ms. Popularity among the elite) Ardern wants Kiwis to become vegan:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-08/new-zealand-proposes-emissions-targets-but-farmers-angry/11091212

"Change and adapt" means we will have living standards the same as the Asian neighbours that we are competing against. In terms of decline in living standards, you ain't seen nothing yet.

Not meaning to sound racist, but with so many Asian people now living in Australia, perhaps we should adopt their living standards?

Not really. Country's still full of poms and Anglophiles. Then again some parts of 'Asia' have a pretty good standard of living given they're coming off a low base.

We can make stuff here if people are willing to pay. However we don't have the economies of scale that overseas export oriented industries enjoy.

It's easier for Aussie businesses to save money than make money. When it comes to supplier selection and management, quality control and oversight is sorely lacking here. That's because it costs money. We also have a government that loathes regulation.

We know who this mob want to win the election but this was a dog act even for them.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-08/bill-shorten-slams-daily-telegraph-federal-election-mother-story/11090238

"Daily Telegraph columnist Andrew Bolt distanced himself from the article and said he supported the Herald Sun, another News Corp newspaper, in not running the article.

"Shorten spoke truly when he said his mother sacrificed her dream to be a lawyer, taking up teaching to help her siblings," he wrote on the Herald Sun's website."

We know who this mob want to win the election but this was a dog act even for them.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-08/bill-shorten-slams-daily-telegraph-federal-election-mother-story/11090238

"Daily Telegraph columnist Andrew Bolt distanced himself from the article and said he supported the Herald Sun, another News Corp newspaper, in not running the article.

"Shorten spoke truly when he said his mother sacrificed her dream to be a lawyer, taking up teaching to help her siblings," he wrote on the Herald Sun's website."

THE SKY IS FALLING !

I actually agree with something said by Andrew Bolt.

The Daily Tele. has sunk so low that even the LNP disavow them.

cheers
John

Meanwhile, across the Ditch, Jacinta (Ms. Popularity among the elite) Ardern wants Kiwis to become vegan:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-08/new-zealand-proposes-emissions-targets-but-farmers-angry/11091212

Such an easy problem to solve!

A new govt task force to follow all the cows around with a bic lighter. Suggest poli. staffers from Canberra, they must have plenty experience.

cheers
John