Buy Australian to support Australian businesses and workers

16th June 2009

I would like to commend Mr. Aldridge for his comments regarding the threats to Australian businesses and workers.

The on going campaign to liberalise trade and create a borderless world in which the world's population is reduced to nothing more than voracious consumers without any sense of community has been going on for decades, notably since the signing of the Lima Declaration.

Successive governments have endangered Australian jobs, both manufacturing and primary industry, in their reckless pursuit of the mythical level playing field-a situation in which the only beneficiaries are those in a position to exploit cheap labour, move capital around the world or exploit the misfortunes of their neighbour as family farms are driven to the wall.

As a former manufacturing employee, we were assured so long as we "worked smarter", increased workforce flexibility and surrendered conditions, our company would go on to become a world player.

They certainly became a world player-one by one each department was shifted to China, the company grounds became a holding bay for imported goods and the company took no time in removing the Australian flag from their logo.

It may please Mr.Aldridge to know that Australians are waking up to the concerns he has expressed. Now employed in retail, I find many customers seeking out Australian, especially locally, produced goods. They are aware the survival of local businesses and farmers is in their hands.

Governments can help by instituting greater transparency of labelling to inform customers of country of origin and the percentage of foreign ownership.

Customers can also help by supporting independent supermarkets which often promote Australian produce, or by purchasing from the farmgate or at markets, thereby ensuring farmers get a fair price.