Yabby

I fully endorse Examinator regarding your lack of business ethics.

>> I morally disagree with you in the manner of business today, not Capitalism per se.
To Wit. Business does NOT have an inalienable right to exist to the exclusion of everything else particularly the law. Business is a servant of the statutory franchised public (humans). <<

Just because in some third world country people pay bribes or are subjected to intimidation doesn't excuse anything. One of the reasons Australia ISN'T a a third world country is due to regulation and a higher level of honesty in many of our businesses. We're certainly not perfect, but this "law of the jungle" ideology you favour simply doesn't work indefinitely. In the long term it is unsustainable and is why humans began to evolve cooperative systems. You often make the claim that others don't get what Capitalism is about - Yabby you are the one who doesn't get it. Competition, regulation and cooperation works over the long term for more people. Greed only works for a minority.

Your stance is not really a good advertisement for yourself as a business man either.

*I fully endorse Examinator regarding your lack of business ethics.*

Severin, you know sweet FA about my business ethics. As it happens,
just last month I pointed out to one of the local suppliers, that
the staff had forgotten to bill me for 2000$ worth of supplies that
I'd picked up. He was amazed and pointed out that these days, few
people had my kind of honesty.

*We're certainly not perfect, but this "law of the jungle" ideology you favour*

Severin, please point out where I said that I favour it. I simply
pointed out, that in much of the third world, its reality. Your other
option is to shut down many exports. You choose. That was the
point of the dilemma.

Corruption goes on right here, under your noses. How many times
does the public service advertise a job, but it goes to one of
their friends? I've been told its very common. How many
"consultants" are hired by Govt, for huge salaries, who just happen
to be mates with those in charge? The list goes on.

"How many consultants" are hired by Govt, for huge salaries, who just happen to be mates with those in charge?"

Too many including in my last department. A review done by a good friend of our boss (according to one of the consultants), to validate the downsizing of an area despite the mounting delays and great negligence in the duty of care to those we serve. Followed up by bullying tactics should anyone have the temerity to raise concerns.

If more people refused to be involved in corrupt or unethical practices, even for business reasons ie. do your homework prior to investing capital, coupled with OUTING those who partake we might stand a chance ie. remove the market for would-be bribers.

The irony about the food trade is while Australia is sending it's best meat OS to satisfy demand, Australia is importing inferior food. To top it off we pay more for the inferior lamb product now than in previous years when lamb was the cheaper meat. Perhaps Yabby you can elaborate. Why is lamb dearer than beef when it takes a lot more money to raise beef to maturation. I am asking in sincerity in case there is something I am missing.

Today Tonight (not always reliable) aired a segment about food coming from China and elsewhere to NZ, repackaged as NZ food to sell to Australian consumers. The NZ branding being more marketable up until now less likely to possess contaminants. Smithton in Tasmania has to suffer the consequences of the closing of the McCains factory who are going offshore to NZ. Well I for one won't be buying.

That is why it is so important for Aussie consumers to buy local wherever possible.

Is this the way we do business now? We don't need to import food that we can grow here to sustain jobs. We go on about the mining industry jobs and feed into the hysteria about mining tax but when anyone mentions losing agricultural based jobs to the shackles of free trade, there is not a whisper by those same protestors.

*do your homework prior to investing capital,*

Sheesh Pelican, you clearly lack business experience :) I was amazed
what I found out, once I started participating in overseas trade,
but not a word of this was mentioned, before I started trading
with SE Asia. For that very reason, most of my exports went to
Europe, when we could get past the trade barriers set up by Govts.

*The irony about the food trade is while Australia is sending it's best meat OS to satisfy demand, Australia is importing inferior food.*

Not so Pelican. The local trade gets first pick, as long as they
pay the price. There are 2 distinct markets in Australia, one is
quality, one is price. But some Aussies want the best quality at
the el cheapo price and I'm afraid life does not work that way.

*Why is lamb dearer than beef when it takes a lot more money to raise beef to maturation.*

Because at the moment there is a shortage of lamb, but not a shortage
of beef, for all sorts of reasons. Not just here but globally, farmers
have been bailing out of growing sheep. Our own sheep flock is at
its lowest in numbers, since about 1906 or something like that.

Reasons being, wool has gone from having a value, to being a cost
for many. So unless you breed wool free sheep like me, it puts
people off sheep. Next, wild dogs in many areas are so bad, that
farmers can't run sheep anymore, but cattle seem to survive them.
Next, low sheep prices for so long, caused farmers to liquidate
flocks and move into cropping, not so for cattle farmers.

It doesen't really cost more to grow beef, as conversion rates from
grass to meat are about the same, between the two species. I prefer
meat sheep, as they have the personality of goats, have lots of twins
and are more my size then cattle. They are also better at eating
very short pasture then cattle.

*That is why it is so important for Aussie consumers to buy local wherever possible.*

Well I have nothing against NZ food, they do a great job growing
it. But I agree, labels should be accurate and reflect where its
actually grown, so that consumers are informed.

*We go on about the mining industry jobs and feed into the hysteria about mining tax*

Says you who goes to Aldi to shop for cheaper food, yet you want
workers to have higher wages, which mining provides.

Typical female, all confused :)

Yabby
Thanks for the info about the lamb market.

Where did I ever say I shopped at Aldi. I have shopped at Aldi less than Woolworths or Coles and IGA. Of late we do most meat shopping from the farm gate and when I can fruit/veg from farmer's markets or the backyard.

From memory you are homing in on an older comment about the irony in Aldi's promise to sell at least one item in each category sourced from local farmers in any country they establish, while Australian owned supermarkets seem more and more intent on sourcing the cheapest stuff which is usually from OS. You are the one that has interpreted my earlier remark into a statement about shopping choices.

I disagree that the best stuff always gets sold here. How many times do we hear beef exporters promote the fact that the very best beef gets exported.

To repeat, re the mining tax. All I want is a fair price for the primary material whether it be through tax reform or changes to the royalty regime.