VANISHING INDUSTRIES AND NATIONAL SECURITY

**George130** · 16th October 2009, 07:19 PM

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

you should always have had to prove why the lowest conforming tender was not accepted!!!!! This is the whole basis of public tendering.

I know there has been, and may still be, much corruption in selling to government at all levels, but public tendering and particularly public opening and reading of tender prices does control corrupt practices to a certain extent.

I hope we have moved on from the times when an amount was added in to cost calculations for a tender to pay graft as necessary. Or the times when a Sales Manager would look at tender documents and ask the rep. concerned "Do we own anyone there?" I remember a Qld. Leyland dealer ordering two truck cab and chassis before the tender closed. He already had the order no. from the Shire Chairman.

Diana's post was better written than mine. I deleted all the bits that were aimed at the system. Yes we have always had to justify things but now the budgets are half what you need and around 10% of what you asked for.
One of the comments I removed is they ask for the moon and give you a paper clip and then tie you up for 3 years with investigations into why you havn't flown the paper clip to the moon yet knowing that when under investigation you can't progress. but at least they can then pass the paper clip onto someone else and pretend they have 2 paper clips.

Most local suppliers laugh at the budget limits so won't bid anyway.

**slug_burner** · 18th October 2009, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by JDNSW

You can hardly blame either the government or the manufacturer - the blame rests squarely on those who buy the cheapest product (or best value anyway) and expect not to be taxed to subsidise local production.

One point where I believe the Australian government IS to blame is in their using interest rates as teh sole control on the economy. This results in interest rates higher than anywhere else, which leads to higher manufacturing costs and a higher valued dollar, making it more difficult for local manufacturers to either export or compete with imports.

John

The Gov does not control interest rates directly, the Reserve Bank does. The government only set policy and stimulates sectors of the economy through grants like the first home owners thing.

In this whole argument people should consider the length of state on state wars these days, they are measured in days to months at best. I don't know that it will be long enough for anyone to build up lost industries or skills. We had an arms building and heavy engineering capability through the Government Factories and dock yards. Most if not all now owned by Thales and BAE and they find somethings cheaper to do overseas. The biggest vertical lathe I have ever seen is in Bendigo and I am not sure that the future of that thing is sorted.

The ability to feed your people is likely to be just if not more important with regard ensuring your long term survival as a state.

**Sprint** · 18th October 2009, 09:28 PM

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

The Blundstone boots made in China, probably cost less than the Blundstone boots made in Tasmania

nope, the prices have gone up, as have the profits for the shareholders.....

its the reason I now wear Ariat boots..... Made in America.....

**Crackerjack** · 19th October 2009, 04:35 AM

Australians must learn to buy Australian wherever possible

**JDNSW** · 19th October 2009, 06:14 AM

Originally Posted by slug_burner

The Gov does not control interest rates directly, the Reserve Bank does. The government only set policy and stimulates sectors of the economy through grants like the first home owners thing.
.............

Exactly - the government does not in normal circumstances try to control inflation using any of the ways at its disposal except to leave it to the Reserve Bank which has no controls except interest. This results in higher interest rates than any other comparable economy, with the results I noted. Almost all the government's economic activities are carried out for reasons other than their effect on the economy (usually to try and win the next election), and they only worry about the economic effects if the effect is going to be short term and damage their electoral prospects - nobody is worried about long term effects.

John

John

Ean Austral · 19th October 2009, 09:46 AM

I dont know the circumstances of the blundstone boots situation, but it's possible alot of businesses move offshore because the playing field is so uneven due to Gov regulation and Taxes, not neccesarily the cheap labour option, but im sure this is factured in.I will give you an example of what I compete against..I am in the Prawn fishing Business, Wild caught not farmed
Every Month I supply 7x 100gr samples to be tested for diseases, iron , cadmium etc and have to have a paper trail to trace every carton of prawns I catch.
Yearly I get inspected for Quarenteen reg,s and if I fail any of the above my lisence to sell product is suspended till issues are fixed.
I am tracked via satellite 24/7 to make sure I do the right thing in reguard to nurseries, closed area etc
Our fishery has been reduced from 290 boats to 50 due to Gov cutbacks in Australian fishing licenses..I could go on but I wont.This fishery covers from Cape York to NT- WA boarder
I pay export and import taxes to for my product to leave Aust and enter other countries, not to mention my yearly license fee to fish, which would support a family of 4 no problems.
All of the above is payed for by me including the cost of replacing my license when the Government took part of it off me to reduce fishing Effort.

My competition is Farmed prawns from oversea's landed in this country with little or no import Duties, no disease testing, and no other charges.
Oh the Government in it's wisdom recently enforced labeling laws..WOW.

Bottom line, I can import oversea's farmed prawns, cheaper than I can send my boat to sea..I have worked in the fish farming industry, and believe me if you seen the warning's on the food pellet's that they feed the fish, you would be amazed and very concerned

How do I survive, I cut back from 3 boats to 1, therefor sacking 12 people, cut my spending to local business costing more jobs, and rely on the low AUD=$ to get good export price.End result Premium Aussie wild caught prawns not sold in Australia, cause I cant compete with imports

Tell me that's an even playing Field, and when I finally do get out of the business and more jobs are lost, tell me I did the wrong thing
Cheers Ean

**slug_burner** · 19th October 2009, 11:25 PM

Originally Posted by Ean Austral

I dont know the circumstances of the blundstone boots situation, but it's possible alot of businesses move offshore because the playing field is so uneven due to Gov regulation and Taxes, not neccesarily the cheap labour option, but im sure this is factured in.I will give you an example of what I compete against..I am in the Prawn fishing Business, Wild caught not farmed
Every Month I supply 7x 100gr samples to be tested for diseases, iron , cadmium etc and have to have a paper trail to trace every carton of prawns I catch.
Yearly I get inspected for Quarenteen reg,s and if I fail any of the above my lisence to sell product is suspended till issues are fixed.
I am tracked via satellite 24/7 to make sure I do the right thing in reguard to nurseries, closed area etc
Our fishery has been reduced from 290 boats to 50 due to Gov cutbacks in Australian fishing licenses..I could go on but I wont.This fishery covers from Cape York to NT- WA boarder
I pay export and import taxes to for my product to leave Aust and enter other countries, not to mention my yearly license fee to fish, which would support a family of 4 no problems.
All of the above is payed for by me including the cost of replacing my license when the Government took part of it off me to reduce fishing Effort.

My competition is Farmed prawns from oversea's landed in this country with little or no import Duties, no disease testing, and no other charges.
Oh the Government in it's wisdom recently enforced labeling laws..WOW.

Bottom line, I can import oversea's farmed prawns, cheaper than I can send my boat to sea..I have worked in the fish farming industry, and believe me if you seen the warning's on the food pellet's that they feed the fish, you would be amazed and very concerned

How do I survive, I cut back from 3 boats to 1, therefor sacking 12 people, cut my spending to local business costing more jobs, and rely on the low AUD=$ to get good export price.End result Premium Aussie wild caught prawns not sold in Australia, cause I cant compete with imports

Tell me that's an even playing Field, and when I finally do get out of the business and more jobs are lost, tell me I did the wrong thing
Cheers Ean

That sucks.

I know that the canned stuff is imported but are the prawns sold at the market imported?

Ean Austral · 20th October 2009, 12:01 AM

Originally Posted by slug_burner

That sucks.

I know that the canned stuff is imported but are the prawns sold at the market imported?

It is now Government reg's that all imported seafood be labeled as such, but it doesn't determine that that it be labeled as farmed seafood or wild caught.The problem with farmed imported prawns is what they feed them to grow then dye them to get the colour right.

Unfortunately someone like myself who has scaled back , now rely on selling to a middle man, and I have no control over the mark-up they put on my product.This is a direct result in me having to reduce down in boat's, as to export successfully you need to ship by the container load and that is hard to do with 1 boat

I can only suggest you look more closely at the label, and not so much the price difference compared to Australian Wild caught stuff, and even Australian farmed seafood is a far better option than imported.

Cheers Ean

Thread: VANISHING INDUSTRIES AND NATIONAL SECURITY

Thread Tools

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions