The fundamental problems for Australian manufacturing are free trade and globalization.These two fashionable words give a warm inner glow to a lot of people who have either never bothered to look into the enormous costs to individual nations or they have a vested interest.

Sure,as a number of commenters have said,there are problems with governments in protectionism but at least we can do something about our governments if we keep informed and politically active.
Once control is lost to a mindless,at best,or to a hostile foreign entity or system,try doing something about that.

If we want a civil society,and the alternative is rather scary,then the citizenry must have ultimate control of the nations's direction.

Faustino,
If we are better off as you say, then why do we have such a large trade deficit. Could it be that we are now living beyond our means, and simply have our heads in the sand.

While not agreeing fully with protectionism, I do think that governments should be at least encouraging local manufacturing.

Also you can cross education from your list of what we do best, as it is a significant net importer, and not an exported as many in the education system would like others to believe. In some areas of education, student marks have now fallen below world average, while at the same time the education system imports everything it can possibly purchase.

I was in an agricultural industry that used the soil to hold up the plant, and the crop was grown with fertilizers that were imported. Almost all equipment used in that industry was imported, and most other agricultural industries are the same.

The mining industry does not value add, and the ore or coal eventually runs out. Most of the equipment used in mining is being imported also.

Overall, I would think we are becoming the mentally lazy country, where we use items that were invented or developed elsewhere, and we pay for those items with a quarry.

I guess this might be off Topic , my topic is Timber Corp , I don't really know much about it but I have been there .
I refer to the Boort Project the Olive Plantation .
Most in Oz would see this project as a fraudulent Tax Rort and the adds between the pages on OLO would reinforce this thinking.
I am not saying the Ad's are bad and no one can say that the plantations are bad .
Garret should be promoting these schemes as Carbon Sinks paid for by the shareholders who have now lost everything .
I would urge people to check out this Plantation , it will take you all day to do so , it is a humongous scheme and a credit to those who built it.
It has been built on practically useless farming land however land that suits Olives .
It employs a lot of People .
It is irrigated by ultra efficient no loss systems .
It is producing Olives just like it was supposed to .
It will be an efficient Carbon Sink for 200 years plus.
A continuing Employer in a high unemployment area .
It will support Boort a Tourist Hub for Country People in districts surrounding Boorts Lake a Sporting Facilities.

Should our Government through a lifeline to the investors who built this amazing project ?

Why should our Investors burn because our Government and US Governance failed to properly Regulate "Jock Straps" running US Banks .

Dear ShazBaz001,

Your interest in the topic of Timbercorp was addressed in the Editorial of News Weekly magazine ( May 30th, 2009 edition...not currently on their website yet but should be there within the next week or so or you could contact them and get a complimentary copy sent to you).
The url is: http://www.newsweekly.com.au/
however it is for the prvious edition currently. Wait for the May 30th edition to go online and go to EDITORIAL by Peter Westmore, the National Prsident of the National Civic Council.
The article is entitled "Australia's biggest financial scam?".
I read it today as I am a subscriber.