The United States(!) of A
GuySmiley wrote:etarip wrote:indo-dreaming wrote:Sure i understand it's not always that simple but whatever way you want to spin it, your example is a terrible example and a perfect example of where tariff's would work.
Eh?
I do agree, i cant see how you can bring down inflation while going crazy on tariffs.
Tariffs will increase prices of imports and cause inflation
But if you want to bring back thing's like manufacturing or process your lobster at home, then you need tariffs yeah?
Really people need to decide what's important, do you want lot's of cheap shit made in places like China that will end up on your nature strip in 5 years time for hard rubbish collection.
Or do you want to go back to the days when thing's like bikes or clothing etc cost more compared to wages, either being manufactured at home (if your country is big enough to make it viable) or import them then sold at a higher cost because tariffs are added (tariffs that raise government revenue)
IMHO paying more for some things isn't a bad thing it put's more value in those things and help's rewind the high consumption throw away society we have become.
Otherwise how do you bring manufacturing home and rewind from this high consumption throw away society????
Is there another way?
You will bring down the inflation with tariffs by crushing the economy. And I don’t mean just 2, 3 quarters of the recession. I mean crushing it.
You probably won’t end up paying more. Short term yes but long term the demand will probably collapse and businesses will have to absorb the cost to stay competitive. Margins disappear and business investments collapses. People get sacked. FED cuts rates (hopefully) and USD devaluates. That is their end game, weaker USD.
Hmm. i dont know you read so many different views even from so called experts on this topic.
It just seems crazy that we have these free trade agreement's with places like China import all this cheap stuff and have zero chance of manufacturing anything in Australia even just sending mineral's to China instead of processing here and adding value.
Selected tariffs to me make's sense to wind things back or try to diversify and not be so reliant on China, for USA with such a big population it make's even more sense.
Covid i thought was a wake up call, to try to bring some manufacturing back to the West.
I think there is a bit of a if Trump says black, we say white thing with this topic though.
Trumps not silly he is doing something even if it's just a way to negotiate different things through tarrifs
I think it was you who said the other week he is smarter than people think, the way he has managed Israel and Ukraine to just get thing's moving in different direction's.
You’re changing the topic. I’m all for tariffs against China. China is the worst country in the world when it comes to tariffs. It’s not just that they will hit you with tariffs against your country, they will outright ban you from participating in certain industries. And all that while directly subsidising certain products and then dumping them in your market.
The problem with Trump’s tariffs is that he’s not being selective as you say and, he’s hitting his allies hard against the agreement he himself signed in his first term (TSMCA). He called it the best agreement in history. So why was it good then but it’s not good now?
“If you want to process your lobsters at home”
FFS.
- They’re in a free trade agreement. That Trump championed. It’s effectively one market anyway. It’s fucking retarded.
The whole point of this example is precisely that it probably HASN’T been considered. It’s not a big ticket item, except for probably the lobster fishermen of Maine, the factory workers in New Brunswick and the consumers in the US.
flollo wrote:You’re changing the topic. I’m all for tariffs against China. China is the worst country in the world when it comes to tariffs. It’s not just that they will hit you with tariffs against your country, they will outright ban you from participating in certain industries. And all that while directly subsidising certain products and then dumping them in your market.
The problem with Trump’s tariffs is that he’s not being selective as you say and, he’s hitting his allies hard against the agreement he himself signed in his first term (TSMCA). He called it the best agreement in history. So why was it good then but it’s not good now?
I dont think im changing the topic its all related, but if we just go back to Canada then, what do you think his aim is?
He isn't silly like many like to say or like to think, he knows how it all works he has seen it from the inside and had four years to think about it all and no doubt talked to many who are even more knowledgeable.
His aim is to raise more revenue. It’s a money grab. This is why he’s going after Canada, Mexico and China. These countries have no so choice but to keep trading with each other. So some level of revenue will flow in. He will say that it’s ‘trillions’ of dollars and then proceed with his tax cuts.
indo-dreaming wrote:Hmm. i dont know you read so many different views even from so called experts on this topic.
It just seems crazy that we have these free trade agreement's with places like China import all this cheap stuff and have zero chance of manufacturing anything in Australia even just sending mineral's to China instead of processing here and adding value.
Selected tariffs to me make's sense to wind things back or try to diversify and not be so reliant on China, for USA with such a big population it make's even more sense.
Covid i thought was a wake up call, to try to bring some manufacturing back to the West.
I think there is a bit of a if Trump says black, we say white thing with this topic though.
Trumps not silly he is doing something even if it's just a way to negotiate different things through tarrifs
I think it was you who said the other week he is smarter than people think, the way he has managed Israel and Ukraine to just get thing's moving in different direction's.
Forget the lobsters Indo, look at car manufacturing.
Trump has a plan to apply 25% tariffs to automotive components. What he didn’t realise was these components can cross the Canadian and Mexican borders up to seven times before being assembled into the finished vehicle.
This article from the Cato Institute (of all people!) explains the application of tariffs in detail.
https://www.cato.org/blog/seven-charts-show-how-us-tariffs-would-harm-am...
Now Trump has given the local manufacturers a few weeks to relocate all their component suppliers inside US borders. Should be easy.
Ultimately this will add thousands to the cost of a US manufactured vehicle and every car buyer will feel it.
Trump and his “advisors” clearly have no idea how international trade works and the finer points of “Comparative Advantage”. He believes a country of 20 million should have “balanced” trade with a country of 300 million. He is a complete simpleton masquerading as a bully.
One more thing, while it is my opinion stock markets are populated with con men, shonks and shysters, the markets do act as a barometer for a countries economy. They thrive on prosperous profitable industry but above all on certainty.
Now look at what has happened to markets since Trump started to “even things up” with tariffs. Tariffs applied one day are postponed the next, and no one knows what is going on.
The markets don’t like all this indecision, not to mention the inflationary implications of tariffs. Check how your Super balance has dropped in the last six weeks, to see how it’s affected you: it’s cost me a fair slab of money.
This whole Trump thing will in my opinion, end in disaster.
More and more Americans are now realising they have elected an idiot.
Trump hates unions, so does Elon. Trump has said he'd rather pay someone else than pay overtime. He's declared bankruptcy on 6 businesses, X is worth waaaaaaaaaay less than it was when Elon bought it, which is funny, eugenicsdreaming, that you say LOOK WHAT HE'S DONE WITH TWITTER! lol.
Are these the boobs you'd want running your country? Imagine if someone said tried to cut overtime/penalties here. Uproar. I wouldn't be surprised if the Cheeto administration decided to lower minimum wage. He did think about vetoing raising it. Scab rat dogs, the both of them.
Mark your calendars, April 4th is the next job data release. This one will start showing doge redundancies. I expect it to be a shocker.
It might be, but surely it's not something that should be judged straight away but something that should be judged much latter, many thing's need some pain before the gain.
Personally im very happy so far with pretty much everything Trump has done including DOGE, but the economical aspects of tariffs is the thing that i worry he will go too hard on, and then it ends up ruining the legacy of everything else, because at the end of the day it's the economy and cost of living that most people care about
flollo wrote:His aim is to raise more revenue. It’s a money grab. This is why he’s going after Canada, Mexico and China. These countries have no so choice but to keep trading with each other. So some level of revenue will flow in. He will say that it’s ‘trillions’ of dollars and then proceed with his tax cuts.
gaaawwwd knows what his aim is really...
and how far he'll push it, but this clearly is one of em, to fund his tax cuts
but he's also clearly using it as leverage for other requests - to encourage change...
it's interesting watching some of you (not you) take the position tarrifs are inherently bad. when they're used the world over, even in the EU.
to discourage and encourage behaviour!
related but different, australia's 'lobster' industry didn't collapse when china stopped trade - despite the usual overly hysterical claims and forcasts of doom and gloom - they just moved to a different market...
that's how shit works
anyone who's lived in Indonesia knows exactly how tarrifs work... some shit gets damn expensive, so you learn to live without it... or you learn to pay $10 bucks for a tub of butter...
the 'choice' is yours...
I get it, that all may seem rather anachronistic to our cosmopolitan class that has developed, but it's not the end of the world
truth of the matter is we just don't know what he's up to, and the exact effects it will have, and we're all indoctrinated into a world where supposed free trade is seen as a common good
fwiw, I think he's being reckless, and possibly stupid, but I think the really dangerous part is the effect it will have on US$ primacy
he seems a little too willing to trash many china shops to get what he wants
and now, it appears nato and UN membership are seriously on the table... which if followed through with, I cannot imagine would help with US$ primacy situation...
it's all a bit terrifying tbh, but really, most of his critics are more worried about their little pie slice and bashing trump, so come across a bit disingenuous actually
its terrifying that someone like michael shellengberger would write like this... but totally understandable too, if you appreciate what he's saying...
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2025/03/04/americans_can_no_l...
flollo wrote:Hmm, is watching the only way to get informed in today’s world? Sorry, rhetorical question. You don’t need to answer, I know you don’t have the capacity.
I have the capacity to know that reading is great, because you can go at your own pace, so it makes it easier to understand.
back to bed, bud.
basesix wrote:back to bed, bud.
What is your aircon broken again?
Is the wind coming from Olympic Dam , or Maralinga?
No I’m just being evil 、it’s not that bad there.
just got home. 'brilliant minds pop on swellnet within seconds of each other', it's an old saying @sypkan wheels out when he's impressed by people with relatable online addictions : )
#crayfish
basesix wrote:just got home. 'brilliant minds pop on swellnet within seconds of each other', it's an old saying @sypkan wheels out when he's impressed by people with relatable online addictions : )
#crayfish
B6. Brilliant minds do pop up on Swellnet and then there’s total Confusion. AW
.
Hiccups wrote:Trump hates unions, so does Elon. Trump has said he'd rather pay someone else than pay overtime. He's declared bankruptcy on 6 businesses, X is worth waaaaaaaaaay less than it was when Elon bought it, which is funny, eugenicsdreaming, that you say LOOK WHAT HE'S DONE WITH TWITTER! lol.
Are these the boobs you'd want running your country? Imagine if someone said tried to cut overtime/penalties here. Uproar. I wouldn't be surprised if the Cheeto administration decided to lower minimum wage. He did think about vetoing raising it. Scab rat dogs, the both of them.
Yep, Elon is so bad at running businesses that he's the richest man in the world. Man he sucks at business.
Except that a government isn’t a business, who’s only aim is to make money no matter what, whereas as a government oversees the welfare and running of a whole country,
not just axing and cutting people to save money!
Everyone complains bout cheap Chinese crap, plastic pollution in the rivers and seas, then, about nobody doing anything to re start manufacturing in countries that actually make things that last.
My USA made tools and Australian stuff lasts.
My Chinese made hand tools electrical appliances etc etc are bin fodder and useless after a few years.
Fridges and washing machines used to last 20 years at least and even if something broke the repairman would com and replace an Australian made part.
The free trade market only really benefits the people who produce low quality stuff on poor wages. ….or we only import crap to balance the trade deficit….or we just dump excess stuff on countries and let them sought it out.
Putting tariffs on goods enables a country to produce goods that last in countries that actually care about quality….then people buy locally.
I’ve still got some of my dad’s tools that are 70 years old and still good..
Made in USA
I’ve got my grandpas vice that’s 100 years old and the same as it was new.
Made in Australia.
The steel quality and the care in making stuff in Australia and the states etc should be sought after again and honoured.
Everyone wants manufacturing to start again but bag anyone who tries to do anything about it.
A few years of paying 25% more for cheap crap from polluting poor wages countries won’t kill us.
Also, if our stuff is any good people will pay a premium to buy it and buy it they will in this very wealthy world.
Everyone wants quality goods these days…..even Chinese people…
People who can afford lobster overseas will pay more for lobster.
So what’s the problem, it may be painful for a while but at the end of the day it’s really the only way to re balance home made manufacturing and value adding our own resources……and restart new markets.
Any one of you will pay $1500 for a new Australian fridge that lasts 20 years rather than an imported one that’s $1000 and a piece of crap after the warranty runs out…
Or an Australian made car with Australian batteries , engines and electronics rather than a throw away one…
This can’t happen without changing imports and mindsets and the Americans are finally doing something about it.
They are also getting a few other things done in the process of their tariff threats.
Anyway, I’ll bet everyone else copies them soon and hopefully we will be less of a throwaway world and more of a self sufficient value adding home made one.
Bob Geldof on Telly this morning tearing strips off Trump and Musk. Years of hard won aid stripped without a thought to the consequences. The worlds richest man stopping aid to the poorest most vulnerable people on the planet.
old-dog wrote:Bob Geldof on Telly this morning tearing strips off Trump and Musk. Years of hard won aid stripped without a thought to the consequences. The worlds richest man stopping aid to the poorest most vulnerable people on the planet.
What? You mean those African dictators.
Geldolf should have spent a bit more time looking after his own family.
2 od's while he was being Saint Bob.
U@ optimist ,However Trump is flip flopping back and forth on tariffs because other countries are hitting back with their own tariffs targeted at
US red states, and these red state businesses are starting to complain.
And the tariffs go on a lot more than just manufacturing , eg fresh food, energy ,oil lpg etc
burleigh wrote:Hiccups wrote:Trump hates unions, so does Elon. Trump has said he'd rather pay someone else than pay overtime. He's declared bankruptcy on 6 businesses, X is worth waaaaaaaaaay less than it was when Elon bought it, which is funny, eugenicsdreaming, that you say LOOK WHAT HE'S DONE WITH TWITTER! lol.
Are these the boobs you'd want running your country? Imagine if someone said tried to cut overtime/penalties here. Uproar. I wouldn't be surprised if the Cheeto administration decided to lower minimum wage. He did think about vetoing raising it. Scab rat dogs, the both of them.
Yep, Elon is so bad at running businesses that he's the richest man in the world. Man he sucks at business.
At last count, with Government subsidies, contracts and assistance valued at around $38 billion. All courtesy of the American taxpayer.
Optimist wrote:Everyone complains bout cheap Chinese crap, plastic pollution in the rivers and seas, then, about nobody doing anything to re start manufacturing in countries that actually make things that last.
My USA made tools and Australian stuff lasts.
My Chinese made hand tools electrical appliances etc etc are bin fodder and useless after a few years.
Fridges and washing machines used to last 20 years at least and even if something broke the repairman would com and replace an Australian made part.
The free trade market only really benefits the people who produce low quality stuff on poor wages. ….or we only import crap to balance the trade deficit….or we just dump excess stuff on countries and let them sought it out.
Putting tariffs on goods enables a country to produce goods that last in countries that actually care about quality….then people buy locally.
I’ve still got some of my dad’s tools that are 70 years old and still good..
Made in USA
I’ve got my grandpas vice that’s 100 years old and the same as it was new.
Made in Australia.
The steel quality and the care in making stuff in Australia and the states etc should be sought after again and honoured.
Everyone wants manufacturing to start again but bag anyone who tries to do anything about it.
A few years of paying 25% more for cheap crap from polluting poor wages countries won’t kill us.
Also, if our stuff is any good people will pay a premium to buy it and buy it they will in this very wealthy world.
Everyone wants quality goods these days…..even Chinese people…
People who can afford lobster overseas will pay more for lobster.
So what’s the problem, it may be painful for a while but at the end of the day it’s really the only way to re balance home made manufacturing and value adding our own resources……and restart new markets.
Any one of you will pay $1500 for a new Australian fridge that lasts 20 years rather than an imported one that’s $1000 and a piece of crap after the warranty runs out…
Or an Australian made car with Australian batteries , engines and electronics rather than a throw away one…
This can’t happen without changing imports and mindsets and the Americans are finally doing something about it.
They are also getting a few other things done in the process of their tariff threats.
Anyway, I’ll bet everyone else copies them soon and hopefully we will be less of a throwaway world and more of a self sufficient value adding home made one.
It all sounds good in theory but let's be realistic, no one wants to keep the same fridge or the same car for 20 years.
Just to add, the US has services surplus. Globalisation is great for the white collar class in the US as they export their services with limited resistance. This is why the Democrats are big supporters of globalisation. This surplus will be at risk under Trump's isolationist policy.
flollo wrote:Optimist wrote:Everyone complains bout cheap Chinese crap, plastic pollution in the rivers and seas, then, about nobody doing anything to re start manufacturing in countries that actually make things that last.
My USA made tools and Australian stuff lasts.
My Chinese made hand tools electrical appliances etc etc are bin fodder and useless after a few years.
Fridges and washing machines used to last 20 years at least and even if something broke the repairman would com and replace an Australian made part.
The free trade market only really benefits the people who produce low quality stuff on poor wages. ….or we only import crap to balance the trade deficit….or we just dump excess stuff on countries and let them sought it out.
Putting tariffs on goods enables a country to produce goods that last in countries that actually care about quality….then people buy locally.
I’ve still got some of my dad’s tools that are 70 years old and still good..
Made in USA
I’ve got my grandpas vice that’s 100 years old and the same as it was new.
Made in Australia.
The steel quality and the care in making stuff in Australia and the states etc should be sought after again and honoured.
Everyone wants manufacturing to start again but bag anyone who tries to do anything about it.
A few years of paying 25% more for cheap crap from polluting poor wages countries won’t kill us.
Also, if our stuff is any good people will pay a premium to buy it and buy it they will in this very wealthy world.
Everyone wants quality goods these days…..even Chinese people…
People who can afford lobster overseas will pay more for lobster.
So what’s the problem, it may be painful for a while but at the end of the day it’s really the only way to re balance home made manufacturing and value adding our own resources……and restart new markets.
Any one of you will pay $1500 for a new Australian fridge that lasts 20 years rather than an imported one that’s $1000 and a piece of crap after the warranty runs out…
Or an Australian made car with Australian batteries , engines and electronics rather than a throw away one…
This can’t happen without changing imports and mindsets and the Americans are finally doing something about it.
They are also getting a few other things done in the process of their tariff threats.
Anyway, I’ll bet everyone else copies them soon and hopefully we will be less of a throwaway world and more of a self sufficient value adding home made one.It all sounds good in theory but let's be realistic, no one wants to keep the same fridge or the same car for 20 years.
Forget where I read it, but it was an economist talking about the trade deficit in USA. Basically, stated that it is not other countries, but Americans who cause the deficit as they buy a lot of stuff, which theoretically improves their standard of living.
It's like someone blowing out their credit card then blaming the shop where they bought their stuff.
Cannot see how tariffs will help anywhere except smash the working/ middle class.
In regard to cheap stuff, again consumer choice and it is a business model.
Stuff may be made in China and elsewhere, but very often made there by western corporations.
Yes, we buy too much stuff....
Watched this doco on weekend, nothing really new but interesting take.
flollo wrote:Optimist wrote:Everyone complains bout cheap Chinese crap, plastic pollution in the rivers and seas, then, about nobody doing anything to re start manufacturing in countries that actually make things that last.
My USA made tools and Australian stuff lasts.
My Chinese made hand tools electrical appliances etc etc are bin fodder and useless after a few years.
Fridges and washing machines used to last 20 years at least and even if something broke the repairman would com and replace an Australian made part.
The free trade market only really benefits the people who produce low quality stuff on poor wages. ….or we only import crap to balance the trade deficit….or we just dump excess stuff on countries and let them sought it out.
Putting tariffs on goods enables a country to produce goods that last in countries that actually care about quality….then people buy locally.
I’ve still got some of my dad’s tools that are 70 years old and still good..
Made in USA
I’ve got my grandpas vice that’s 100 years old and the same as it was new.
Made in Australia.
The steel quality and the care in making stuff in Australia and the states etc should be sought after again and honoured.
Everyone wants manufacturing to start again but bag anyone who tries to do anything about it.
A few years of paying 25% more for cheap crap from polluting poor wages countries won’t kill us.
Also, if our stuff is any good people will pay a premium to buy it and buy it they will in this very wealthy world.
Everyone wants quality goods these days…..even Chinese people…
People who can afford lobster overseas will pay more for lobster.
So what’s the problem, it may be painful for a while but at the end of the day it’s really the only way to re balance home made manufacturing and value adding our own resources……and restart new markets.
Any one of you will pay $1500 for a new Australian fridge that lasts 20 years rather than an imported one that’s $1000 and a piece of crap after the warranty runs out…
Or an Australian made car with Australian batteries , engines and electronics rather than a throw away one…
This can’t happen without changing imports and mindsets and the Americans are finally doing something about it.
They are also getting a few other things done in the process of their tariff threats.
Anyway, I’ll bet everyone else copies them soon and hopefully we will be less of a throwaway world and more of a self sufficient value adding home made one.It all sounds good in theory but let's be realistic, no one wants to keep the same fridge or the same car for 20 years.
this is correct
optimist is dead right regarding cheap shit, pollution, and even the transportion, where I believe global shipping is one of the biggest contributors to climate change, but we don't even count it...
there's a certain irony that trump has the potential to inadvertently do more to fix climate change and environmental problems than all the clowns combined screaming about him and those gluing themselves to the streets...
but sadly, I think flollo is right too, in the space of a generation, we've been conditioned to love shiny new things and expect the constant renewal of cheap shitty updates
it's a tragedy, because it is largely conditioning, that has come from a leadership that often talked a good game... but frankly were full of shit...
which is probably why no one trusts anyone anymore, environmental politics is on the nose, and politics is all over the shop
Yes, that's a very good point. Americans buy an enormous amount of junk while their counterparts don't buy anywhere near that much. So it's very hard to have a surplus. Just look at the housing situation, Americans (and Australians) live in the biggest houses in the world while majority of others live in small units. There's a big difference between filling up a 200-300 sqm house and a 50-60 sqm unit. Plus land. Gardening, landscaping and working with hands? You don't do any gardening if you live in a unit.
One good example is mercury outboards….
Smaller ones made in japan…..larger ones, the parts are made in the USA …..then shipped to China for assembly…..then back to the USA for sale.
So, the brand is tarnished because it’s made in China…..and it gets a tariff.
The sales guy is trying his hardest but….yamaha and Honda are fully made in their factories in japan for the same retail price.
Put a tariff on mercurys Chinese import and the whole bloody thing will be made in the USA…..where it should be.
USA mercs built there were great in their day…..really good actually.
Edit…syp, if the govts were really serious about cutting waste and cheap crap, they would be advertising to the youth about how important it is to make things that last……that’s a pretty easy ad campaign and I was in advertising for a while.
And flollo, there’s nothing wrong with a quality 20 year old fridge….if you want a new one, you put it on gummie for a $100 and a student of senior will buy it and it will last another 5 or 10 years as will an old car…..then you can get a new one……made in Australia.
"Buy cheap shit from China."
It's just an exercise in personal liberty - the right to choose in the marketplace. This is the liberal credo, the dominant force of the last fifty years, and anyone who dared question it was called anti-West or socialist or whatever.
Kinda funny how quickly things change and how many of the outlets who led those accusations are now advocating the Trumpian way.
Anyhoo, it's been been tilting this way for a while, the limits of globalism have been reached and were swinging back to something else. Not sure where the needle will settle or what ideology will drive it.
If it happens that tariffs go up across the globe and countries withdraw from each other then I expect the pacifying nature of trade will go with it. The last 80 years might, as many have already said, be a historical anomaly.
flollo wrote:It all sounds good in theory but let's be realistic, no one wants to keep the same fridge or the same car for 20 years.
Bloody hell flollo, both my cars are over 20 years old and still going strong. as is my fridge at 16yo. I dread the thought of what to replace them with if they died.
I wonder what Ronny would think about the size of the Chinese military if he saw them these days……built with American and global “free trade dollars”.
There is a balance…..tariffs can protect a country without the country getting lazy and uncompetitive…..
My firm belief is that self sufficiency should be the new norm in every country…..
Look after your own people and stay at home and within your borders and mind your own business and make your own stuff…..
Then, if anyone wants the leftovers they can pay what they are worth.
Ok fair enough but you are in a minority. Both of my cars are also old but I didn't buy them brand new and then kept them for 20 years. I also bought a 2nd hand fridge. Marketplace is full of cheap 2nd hand fridges as people don't want to keep the same fridge for 20 years.
Optimist wrote:Everyone complains bout cheap Chinese crap, plastic pollution in the rivers and seas, then, about nobody doing anything to re start manufacturing in countries that actually make things that last.
My USA made tools and Australian stuff lasts.
My Chinese made hand tools electrical appliances etc etc are bin fodder and useless after a few years.
Fridges and washing machines used to last 20 years at least and even if something broke the repairman would com and replace an Australian made part.
The free trade market only really benefits the people who produce low quality stuff on poor wages. ….or we only import crap to balance the trade deficit….or we just dump excess stuff on countries and let them sought it out.
Putting tariffs on goods enables a country to produce goods that last in countries that actually care about quality….then people buy locally.
I’ve still got some of my dad’s tools that are 70 years old and still good..
Made in USA
I’ve got my grandpas vice that’s 100 years old and the same as it was new.
Made in Australia.
The steel quality and the care in making stuff in Australia and the states etc should be sought after again and honoured.
Everyone wants manufacturing to start again but bag anyone who tries to do anything about it.
A few years of paying 25% more for cheap crap from polluting poor wages countries won’t kill us.
Also, if our stuff is any good people will pay a premium to buy it and buy it they will in this very wealthy world.
Everyone wants quality goods these days…..even Chinese people…
People who can afford lobster overseas will pay more for lobster.
So what’s the problem, it may be painful for a while but at the end of the day it’s really the only way to re balance home made manufacturing and value adding our own resources……and restart new markets.
Any one of you will pay $1500 for a new Australian fridge that lasts 20 years rather than an imported one that’s $1000 and a piece of crap after the warranty runs out…
Or an Australian made car with Australian batteries , engines and electronics rather than a throw away one…
This can’t happen without changing imports and mindsets and the Americans are finally doing something about it.
They are also getting a few other things done in the process of their tariff threats.
Anyway, I’ll bet everyone else copies them soon and hopefully we will be less of a throwaway world and more of a self sufficient value adding home made one.
Good post there Opti, still got my grandfather's hand woodworking tools, the quality is sublime and the steel is 'Made in Sheffield' from when that really meant something. Still got Dad's corded electric power drill, still got the sander/polisher, sander, router, electric planer (all Japanese built) I bought 30 years ago, they work well. Young one started taking the router to work when his new battery one chomped on more than it could chew, the boys at work were impressed with it despite the cord.
This is all so much better for the environment - buy well and buy once.
There's an undercurrent of good tools being made really well today, you've got to search for it though. In fashion, quality clothing items do exist in the West and Japan, again you have to search for it, for example there are some firms that are savants in denim and in just learning and shopping for this quality you learn much on how they are made and how to wear them in. In surfing, there are firms that tailor fit wetsuits and use high quality neoprene.
Oh yeah, we've still got our Aussie microwave (nearly 30 years now), our 25 year old Aussie fridge. Got an Aussie oven in last few years - all good quality. I've kept our Aussie car (17) as I'm quite attached to it and the motor's barely run in at 350,000km and the other Aussie cars we have have gone up in value so much that I think they'll be handed down in the family as the kids have told me not to sell them and you just can't replace what they are and how they drive in today's market.
velocityjohnno wrote:Optimist wrote:Everyone complains bout cheap Chinese crap, plastic pollution in the rivers and seas, then, about nobody doing anything to re start manufacturing in countries that actually make things that last.
My USA made tools and Australian stuff lasts.
My Chinese made hand tools electrical appliances etc etc are bin fodder and useless after a few years.
Fridges and washing machines used to last 20 years at least and even if something broke the repairman would com and replace an Australian made part.
The free trade market only really benefits the people who produce low quality stuff on poor wages. ….or we only import crap to balance the trade deficit….or we just dump excess stuff on countries and let them sought it out.
Putting tariffs on goods enables a country to produce goods that last in countries that actually care about quality….then people buy locally.
I’ve still got some of my dad’s tools that are 70 years old and still good..
Made in USA
I’ve got my grandpas vice that’s 100 years old and the same as it was new.
Made in Australia.
The steel quality and the care in making stuff in Australia and the states etc should be sought after again and honoured.
Everyone wants manufacturing to start again but bag anyone who tries to do anything about it.
A few years of paying 25% more for cheap crap from polluting poor wages countries won’t kill us.
Also, if our stuff is any good people will pay a premium to buy it and buy it they will in this very wealthy world.
Everyone wants quality goods these days…..even Chinese people…
People who can afford lobster overseas will pay more for lobster.
So what’s the problem, it may be painful for a while but at the end of the day it’s really the only way to re balance home made manufacturing and value adding our own resources……and restart new markets.
Any one of you will pay $1500 for a new Australian fridge that lasts 20 years rather than an imported one that’s $1000 and a piece of crap after the warranty runs out…
Or an Australian made car with Australian batteries , engines and electronics rather than a throw away one…
This can’t happen without changing imports and mindsets and the Americans are finally doing something about it.
They are also getting a few other things done in the process of their tariff threats.
Anyway, I’ll bet everyone else copies them soon and hopefully we will be less of a throwaway world and more of a self sufficient value adding home made one.Good post there Opti, still got my grandfather's hand woodworking tools, the quality is sublime and the steel is 'Made in Sheffield' from when that really meant something. Still got Dad's corded electric power drill, still got the sander/polisher, sander, router, electric planer (all Japanese built) I bought 30 years ago, they work well. Young one started taking the router to work when his new battery one chomped on more than it could chew, the boys at work were impressed with it despite the cord.
This is all so much better for the environment - buy well and buy once.
There's an undercurrent of good tools being made really well today, you've got to search for it though. In fashion, quality clothing items do exist in the West and Japan, again you have to search for it, for example there are some firms that are savants in denim and in just learning and shopping for this quality you learn much on how they are made and how to wear them in. In surfing, there are firms that tailor fit wetsuits and use high quality neoprene.
Oh yeah, we've still got our Aussie microwave (nearly 30 years now), our 25 year old Aussie fridge. Got an Aussie oven in last few years - all good quality. I've kept our Aussie car (17) as I'm quite attached to it and the motor's barely run in at 350,000km and the other Aussie cars we have have gone up in value so much that I think they'll be handed down in the family as the kids have told me not to sell them and you just can't replace what they are and how they drive in today's market.
We all complain about plastics , waste and cheap goods.
Billions of clothing items are discarded in Australia per annum. Why ? . Why buy them in the first place, we are a spoilt society?
We drive all of it through our consumptive ways. We drive the pollution and waste that ends up in landfill and down country roads, affluent societies drive pollution in Third World holiday spots, we demand cheap holidays and all our rubbish ends up in that country or islands (Bali).
We demand cheap goods for living , polluting the world whilst earning $100K-150K per annum. It’s our habits.
Our supermarket chains are one of the worst offenders, any one of them at any time of the year have a little plastic bag with plastic bits to construct a toy that a kid can choke on or it’s played with for two minutes then becomes waste.
All for the lure of creating new customers when the kids grow up, they sow the seed now..
Refuse the toy at the supermarket, there’s a start..
People wake up !!! It’s us for fuck sake, change your ways, I bet you don’t. Minister for any Environment. AW
You won’t believe this…..my wife’s Acer computer just crapped itself….just over 2 years old……1 years warranty……all her photos on it….not backed up.
I flipped it over and read the bottom….MADE IN CHINA.
Yep I’m guilty as charged……never again…..
take it into a local computer bloke, and get the hard-drive dumped onto an external drive, photos etc should be right @Opti..
+1 to Basesix’s suggestion. My ex had the same thing last year, she quickly got to a tech guy close to here, recovered everything. $150 well spent. Do it promptly. AW
AW, I've finally got my hands on that book you posted, sincere thanks for that! It was a beautiful thing to look through during the weather of the past week.
It's one of my dreams to island hop and go camping down there at some stage, hopefully that will come to fruition.
Thanks again AW.
AndyM wrote:AW, I've finally got my hands on that book you posted, sincere thanks for that! It was a beautiful thing to look through during the weather of the past week.
It's one of my dreams to island hop and go camping down there at some stage, hopefully that will come to fruition.
Thanks again AW.
AndyM. Hey mate, hope you’re well.
It was my pleasure to give you a copy, I’ve loved reading mine. Don’t you love the dedication of people who go to these places , complete utterly wonderful research and then compile it into a publication others can enjoy.
I will attempt next year to commence visiting some of the one hundred islands of that Furneaux group, I’ll buy a decent boat and I’ll hit you up if you’re ever interested. I love an adventure, anywhere. All the best. AW
basesix wrote:take it into a local computer bloke, and get the hard-drive dumped onto an external drive, photos etc should be right @Opti..
Hay how’s the 38 c going?
Thanks for the computer advice…will do…..she’s stoked.
having a ball, but blowing sinus dust fer sure @jef. this PNG project went off on stage 2 last night, very moving..
Septic Tanks are going to Septic Tank