I'm not entirely sure what you're saying Arjay, but free trade is good for everyone. That is fact. Any opposition to free trade comes from a misunderstanding of it. To simplify it, imagine if we as individuals couldn't trade between each other. We would have to each be a jack of all trades, wasting enourmous amounts of effort doing things we don't specialise in. With what logic can you justify this fact suddenly ending at the border?

Comparative advantage is not merely a theory that only works "on paper", it is an actual economic phenomenon.

As far as a trade "deficit" is concerned, there is nothing wrong with having one unless it is a result of loose monetary policy.

I'm willing to refute any opposition to free trade, but in the end you don't have to believe me - look in to it yourself.

Wendy,

Most banana farmers will try to keep prices high by deliberately slowing return to full production following the devastation of Cyclone Larry in March. The ministry and the Smart State government are urging farmers to avoid producing a deluge of cheap fruit by staggering their return to full production. The price of bananas has almost quadrupled since the cyclone, with some consumers paying upwards of $11kg. Nth-Qld banana industry forecasted return to normal around Nov, but already Banana Council of Australia urginged its members to avoid releasing too many bananas into the market at once, for fear of causing 'collapse' in the price.

'If the entire Nth-Qld crop came back in six to nine months, up to 20 million cartons of fruit could flood the market'. Queensland Primary Industries Minister Tim Mulherin told farmers to carefuly plan their return to business. Mr Mulherin said it was critical that growers staggered production to avoid a glut. Banana growers warned, prices were set to go even higher. Althought the fruit has already gone from a grocery staple to luxury item. Australian Banana Growers Council chief Tony Heidrich said 'it was simply a case of supply and demand'. Mr Heidrich didn't expect 'significant quantities' to come out of Nth-Qld until at least Nov. As NSW procuction was set to drop over winter, 'so the price might well go up', he said.

Courier Mail Phil Bartsch further reported on May 17th, 2006, that in these circumstances Dave Perry has became the bargain king of bananas. Mr Perry who runs a 4ha plantation at Burringbar in northern NSW, has been charging $2kg on Sunday mornings at Chandler's market in south-east Brisbane (all being sold by 8am). "Everybody say I should put the price up", said Mr Perry. Known to customers as 'Dave the Banana Man'. "I'm not that interested in making a whole heaps of money. Just want to keep my regular customers. That's the name of the game, because I know in six months time when Nth-Qld comes back on line, the price is going to drop".

Why personally attack the author? I think most of you would find that universities are the most multicultural institutions in the country. Mirco would have his job because he is skilled, not because it is protected against educators from other countries. If you are worried about your job moving overseas, move out of the textile industry, and into one that is sensible, before industry protection (which I, and everyone else in the country, have to pay for) is removed. I don’t think I should pay higher taxes so we have a viable footwear industry. We are much better of since the liberalisation of the economy, and will continue to be made better off as the liberalisation continues. If you like regulation, move to India, if you like protection for agricultural industries, move to the US, and pay six times as much for sugar as we do. Vested interests poison economies and no one seems to notice.

Leo
Thanks for you interesting comments and info.

Good On Mr Perry the the Bannana Man.
Does anybody remember the little man.

Well this country was built by them.

The government say they dont control the big business in Australia but they have taken the power and common sense out of the bush.

What happend is terribly but exuse me there are other ares that grow crops that were not effected.

This contolling the crops to suit the government is getting worse.

I think we need to take a closer look and the farmers need to tell the white shoe guys to back off.
Every Child should be taught how to grow vegetables in schools and care for chooks and other education.

Wendy,

Incredibly, some still hanging-out for a banana (costing $3 each), in a Smart-State. Known for the practises of autocracy retribution ..."cross the party line and you are out"... Which so ironically became a very meaningful in my circumstances of being suspended with my arms wrestled-back for-168-hours, without any means of reply to the malicious finger pointing at me, and so-caustically emitted condemnation across-the-board (tantamount to browbeating) ... http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=4591#47671

Speaking of the-sour-grapes ... or on-a-more-serious note a propos decimated grape-growers, forced to-plough into-the-ground their freshly harvested produce due to the grape-glut in this country, where "to-appease" ravaged farmers, our Smart State primary industries ministry okayed in turn highly inflated price of grapes at $5kg to consumer. Still having audacity to-brag with-a-straight chutzpah face that it was "simply-a-case of supply-and-demand". If not for throttled-monopoly-market by the invisible-hand, as-a-result our local bananas continue to surge in price at $15kg for the elite conglomerate, whose staple-diet seems to-be compromised without the exotic banana.

Having said that, I must disagree at this point with-a-haunting-me quote: "Good Health Is Not Generally a Question of Money"! Which was actually stated by highly respected otherwise Dr Sandra Cabot, renowned for her best-selling 'Liver Cleansing Diet' and a last week conducted telethon: 'Your Health Is Your Greatest Asset'. What surely sounds like a common-sense-logic, if not for the fact that without the sufficient monetary means in the 21st century, such slogan becomes a hollow rhetoric. One only have to glance at the lack of access to the vital health-care in a Smart-State by general public.

Compounded by the escalating cost of fresh fruit-n-vegies in Brisbane. Where solely Kerry Packer's calibre to afford red-capsicums at $7kg, thanks to the creed-of-greed churned monopoly. Yet a charismatic captain of the Smart State still having chutzpah to stage his multimillion-dollar adverts extravaganza. Canvassed in a cavalier fashion in lieu of the purported "action-taken" against the pandemic obesity, just as Smart State govt lied moreover about the "turned-corner" pattern in the health-care delivery. What have been utterly insulting to the commonsense intelligence of conscientious citizenry.

"Half the world is on a diet while the other half is starving." This line from Brisbane punk band the Disables album 'Nuthin' for No One' is a question that is on a lot of peoples' minds. Mirko, like these punks and other posters, rightly sees that there is something very wrong with some peoples' attitudes and global politics.

Mirko says that there are bananas falling off trees overseas. Why not encourage trade between these countries and third-world countries where people are really starving?

Mirko kinda answers this when he says: "All deals struck as part of this pact are on the basis of negotiation, not principle." This is unbridled capitalism, this is "free" enterprise. Starvation is the result.

There is a saying: " When you speak of capitalism there is seldom any mention of ethics." ('Death in the Locker Room.')

On the other hand, the countries forking out two dollars for a cow are probably socialist inclined and running up a hugh debt that will later see people starve.

Politics, especially unprincipled politics, shieet me to tears (like most other people?).

Of course, some utilitarians, like Mirko, might mention ethics to further their own political agenda or arguments.