Why we should buy Australian

The trades, or a lack of them are a 2 way street. When I first started at bhp just over 20 years ago the apprentice s training shops where full with over a hundred of both sparkles and fitters each. 4 years later it was a ghost town for around 8 years, if I mention reason it goes CA. Then about 7-8 years ago we started getting apprentices back around the works. Again that program has been curtailed about 18 months ago with far fewer last year and no new faces this year.
If we don't train any we can't complain when there are none. The other issue is if it's cheaper to get a 457 than train a local were dooming ourselves to stupidity.

Ean, majority of OHSE rules are usually in response to a serious injury or fatality, so are a direct result of your peers negligence. By the same token if you manage them correctly they are easy to control.

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Originally Posted by Ean Austral

I don't know anyone who as knocked back selling their asset to an overseas buyer, be it a business or personal asset, if that buyer will pay the price or a higher price than they are asking for ...Do you ? Do we want that option taken away any more than what it already is under government policy,?


We have just come out of the biggest resources boom ever , so why are there not trades people everywhere ? , I have my suspicion its because the average young person in this country wouldn't work for apprentice wages and wants a 6 figure salary straight out of school. Our youngest daughter when she was a first and second year apprentice made more per hour working casual for me than her apprentice wage , but when she told me she should leave and work for me because the money was better , I told her I would not employ her. This is a lot of the reason we now have to seek 457 workers.


There are 2 companies in Darwin who supply rigging gear ie wire, straps etc , there is now only 1 that offers the wire splicing service and they had to bring someone in on a 457 to do it because they couldn't get anyone to take up the position, it was too hot , too hard, not enough pay etc etc , the other company opted out and does not supply that service.
When I first started my fishing career in the early 80's , we learnt how to splice wire as part of our job , I still find myself having to splice wire's for our boats and when I offer to teach the new generation they say nah , and sit down and play on their phones waiting for me to finish... its called attitude... The funny thing is I can splice the different types of wire splices and I cant get a job as a wire splicer here because I don't have a piece of paper to say im qualified.


I still say that as a society we buy on price first , quality second and place of origin 3rd , and our complacent attitude to customer service and our overall desire to want to do less for more is a lot of the reason our country is so reliant on imports.


We wont start on some of the ridiculous OH & S rules


Cheers Ean

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Well that all rings true we have the same problem where I work.

On the OH&S. Being the Safety Officer, doesn't take up too much of my time and although some of it is tedious and apparently farcical, it does work.

Any way the OP was about why we should buy Australian. I can tell you that if there is that option I always will, unless the price is greater than 10 percent more or the product is inferior.

Cable girl


Electrical cable could become fire risk in Australian homes within weeks, ACCC warns - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

If I recall correctly there was a recall of electrical wiring a year or 2 ago.Best part was most of it was sold by hardware stores to DIY home warriors.
No way of checking if its now gyprocked in.Plenty of potential fire issues to come.
Andrew

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Originally Posted by LandyAndy

If I recall correctly there was a recall of electrical wiring a year or 2 ago.Best part was most of it was sold by hardware stores to DIY home warriors.
No way of checking if its now gyprocked in.Plenty of potential fire issues to come.
Andrew

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i recall that. bunnings were selling it about 12 months ago.

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Originally Posted by Eevo

i recall that. bunnings were selling it about 12 months ago.

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They all were.
Was only sold at hardware shops,the quality stuff was at the electrician supply stores.
Andrew

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Originally Posted by Eevo

i recall that. bunnings were selling it about 12 months ago.

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Wouldn't surprise me.

From the article:

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The bulk of the cable was sold through Masters, which is being either sold or shut down by owners Woolworths.

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There is a reason why some things are cheap.

Mighty nice of Woolworths, so who pays for stripping the wire out of wherever it has been installed and installing proper cable?

To my mind if you sell a defective product you should wear the complete cost, not just basic replace the item.

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Originally Posted by Simon

Mighty nice of Woolworths, so who pays for stripping the wire out of wherever it has been installed and installing proper cable?

To my mind if you sell a defective product you should wear the complete cost, not just basic replace the item.

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The onus has fallen on the electrical contractors to rectify the work, not Masters. The cost of stripping and rewiring will be far more than the original price, this will send many hard working contractors and companies to the wall.
Masters only have to replace the defective materials.

Class Action??

Good proof though of "buy cheap, buy twice", the epitaph of the modern consumer world.