Thread: help needed to save our manufacturing.

Originally Posted by drivesafe

as long as the government plays fair and makes it easier for Australian manufactures to bring new products to market, both here and for export.

the govt will do what will best get it reelected, not whats best for the people or manufactures.

and the average australian votes for more handouts, not for fairer and easier manufacturing conditions.

we are in general chat here.....let's try and keep it that way.

Imports are fine but they should have to meet minimum standards.
Australia should buy a minimum percentage of local products. For example, why can't we have a local steel rule of maybe 15% or 25% local.
Free markets are not free so its dumb to pretend they are when they clearly are not. That's just economic suicide.
Its bad enough that multinationals don't pay local tax because they shift the profits offshore to make their local subsidiaries look unprofitable.
Surely we can buy local products when the quality is there at a fair price.

Here's an example of Good vs Bad design, mixed in with Cheap "overseas" (read China...) vs Even Cheaper Overseas...

We've had a stainless-steel electric kettle for over 6 years. Breville brand, but un-ashamedly mfd. in China, or so says the moulded info underneath it. Correct me if I'm rrong, but I understand them to be a caucasian/Australian company which now has 'everything' made in less expensive countries... AFAIK, absolutely nothing is built here, though the DESIGN work is/was local.

Kettle is jug-like shape, gently tapering sides and a spring-loaded filling lid which is about 1/3 the diameter of the base..
There are two thin plasticky windows on the side to show level, and these show signs of crazing and hence future failure.

To anticipate this, I bought an evilbay 'Special' for $49, more as an interim replacement in case SWMBO does not approve...and prefers a Russel Hobbs or whatever.

Anyway, new one is pyrex-glass, much bigger base, sexier, rounded shape and the filling lid is same size as Old Mate. Immediately, you notice that the sides are MORE tapered bottom-to-top. Net result is... you need to rotate it further...to pour out 600ml, two cups of tea. Doing so now puts the spout further 'around' or 'under' your hand holding the kettle... and gets bathed in the accompanying steam. ouch!

Filling lid is not a thumb-operated button-spring loaded, but has its own integral slider IN the lid, - a two handed operation.

Boiling time for 500ml is longer, only by 10 seconds... however it's easy to fill it much more than you need... so the net result will be boiling more water...to only use a little bit.

Oh yes, the base has magic buttons to set temperature between 85 and 100 degrees, as well as a START button. It also lights up with pretty blue LEDS inside the bottom of the kettle, and it beeps when boiled.

SWMBO does not like the taste of the tea it makes.......

Dunno where it's made, only a paper stick-on label underneath ID's the importer...

Now if the BREVILLE had proper 'plastic' or PYREX windows... I'd cheerfully pay up to $100 for another one.

- IF it was made here... even without the silly skinny windows.

Originally Posted by superquag

and prefers a Russel Hobbs or whatever.

I didn't bother wasting my money on temporary crap. When my 1950's earthenware electric jug died, I bought a Russel Hobbs.
I hate cheap, poorly designed crap. The economics of it doesn't stack up for me.

So how do you explain the Mini Mokes , my first car, thing, makes Series 1 look flash, doors!

Originally Posted by AndyG

So how do you explain the Mini Mokes , my first car, thing, makes Series 1 look flash, doors!

A quality Australian Made product. Not my first car either.

Oh, surprisingly warm and draught free in winter, although they do suffer from "fish & chip shop" windows.

Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

I didn't bother wasting my money on temporary crap. When my 1950's earthenware electric jug died, I bought a Russel Hobbs.
I hate cheap, poorly designed crap. The economics of it doesn't stack up for me.

We just bought a Sunbeam Cafe Series.
The old Breville was looking sad.It was a flash stainless steel kettle BUT the grey plastic on the handle and lid aint UV stable.The sun has destroyed it.We chose this one as it had the least amount of plastic on it.Flash for a water burner,has seperate temp options,keep warm,a beep to tell you its ready,a display telling how long before its ready.$150,then I asked the Hardley Norman girl just how low would she go.Well not what I had in mind,but said I could have it for $120
Andrew