Thread: Why we should buy Australian

Interesting ideas.
I did do something to help Aussie manufacturers this week - I ordered seatbox corners from from Wayne at Nugget Stuff.

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Can't say I have. Been buying Canadian beer in Toronto bars. Not a bad deal either !

In a growth capital economy with high wages and living costs, but stagnant wage growth, low interest rates, slowing super returns and where most citizens are just keeping their heads above water, it seems to me that buying Australian products has become not only very difficult to justify, but almost unAustalian.

As costs of housing, utilities, food and services rise in order for the owners of these businesses to cover costs, the majority have little money left to be conscientious consumers of Australian products that cost more than imports.

It's illuminating to realise that in terms of motor vehicles there really is no such thing as a premium brand anymore. When Toyotas cost as much or more than Land Rovers, BMW's, Audi's, VW's, etc. it says a lot about global priorities, relative wealth in Australia and the priorities of a massive continent that can't even keep its own car manufacturing industry afloat.

We are on a greed driven growth capitalist hiding to nothing. We are slow, ponderous, self-centred and totally lacking in vision.

Interesting article comparing Australia to China by Ross Gittens in The Age & SMH today: China thinks big, while Australia waits for luck to strike

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Interesting ideas.
I did do something to help Aussie manufacturers this week - I ordered seatbox corners from from Wayne at Nugget Stuff.

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

Oops Thanks for reminding me. Sorry Wayne I'll get on to it tonight.

I would not mind betting, that for most Australians, their Charity bills would add up to a significant amount. What if they offset the extra expenditure of buying Australian against their combined Charity bill? Then perhaps we would have less need to be Charitable.

Good thought but we give away 10% of our income so I think I'd rather just buy Aussie.

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Being charitable takes many forms. In a civil society many of these don't involve money at all.

Being generous to those in need is something we can all do better with here in Australia. We often do better as individuals than as a collective society, but we still operate under an overall ethos of winner take all, which only increases the need for charity rather than diminish it. What it does diminish though is the self-esteem of those in need, firstly because the winners have the power of choice as to who to be charitable towards and secondly because those in need are kept in that place by a society that really struggles with the underlying nature of human equality. Charity is part of the problem.

While it's obviously better than nothing to be charitable, financially it is only a bandaid solution to that which is a much bigger issue caused by the power struggle of growth capitalism. Indeed charity has been used for eons by governments, churches and the wealthy as an instrument of power.

I don't think buying Australian has any relation to charity. But buying ethically, buying quality and buying responsibly is part of the solution. It's a global discussion.

As the disposable dollar goes, most is spent on local stuff. I contribute each year the community radio station , and a bit of volunteer work , watch local bands in local venues , when they aren't being shut down, music from shops in country , but maybe imported. Food is generally locally sourced as are the mortgages. I figure not a bad percentage. It is too bad our private media is seemingly all outsourced and biased to whoever provides the feed.