Banjo at least you and I sometimes agree.
Jewerly yes same reason we fund health and such national benefits in the long run.
Banjo here is the reason we SM and me do not get on.
I the communist/socialist red under the bed devil, am defending our small businessmen SH is saying let them rot.
I doubt some know of the blight other Bananas carry, and that it could kill our crops, forever.
Or have considered this trade was once controlled in south America by both Mafia and CIA.
Now if we import fresh fruit our trees die or are dug up.
What then if imported prices rise even higher than todays and we no longer produce?
Say we grow coffee but it fails because of imports do we keep growing here or import every thing.
How tell me can conservatives find room to say we should abandon AUSTRALIAN FARMERS.

Houie,
You are stirring again. You do understand.

My allegence is to Australia, not specifically to Aussie farmers.

If our government denies imports because of threat of disease that protects the whole industry. Wholesalers, transport workers, rail, road, forklift operators, office workers, fuel suppliers,maintenance workers, all the first and secondary people associated with or have business with that industry. Similary if the government imposes an import duty on imports, it protects all associated with the industry and the government gets the import duty. There is no subsidy paid to farmers. You seem to think, or imply that there are subsidies paid out to farmers.

Of course we have to look after our own first, the same as others do. Th japs used to buy nearly all our wool, not now they use mainly synthetics and do you think they care that we now only have half the sheep we used to and shearing employees and others are no longer employed. Some countries buy our wheat or coal and if they can get it cheaper elsewhere they will. They care not if we loose or our workers loose jobs and/or their homes.

No, it is not just farmers, it is for Australia as a whole.

Our governments duty is to look after our citizens not promote employment in other countries, which is what happens when we take our business off shore and import goods we can produce here.

While Bananas are extremely expensive.
And we know why.
I am constantly amazed by just how uninformed some are.
Over heard every view from lets import them, show farmers for ripping us off.
To well it is not their fault.
A host of issues exist, do we protect anything, NZ has won a case against us, Apples now can be imported from there, we claim it is dangerous , because of a blight we do not have.
I understand this is not just about prices whole areas, factory packing houses back packer hostels road transport company's, grew on the back of this industry.
We do no good in ignoring the complex question do we grow only foods others can not sell us cheaper.
Free trade/world trade has its detractors, but surely no doubt exists ,on balance our farmers and our country benefits more than not from it.
Right now in food matters
we must look at things like if supplies stop,as a result say of the German problems/war or strikes weather or such, do we suffer.
I think we,in the short term, should not risk, now or ever actually our crops .
But if artificial ways of raising prices gets in the way all bets are off, import.
Hollie loves to stirr,the larikin Aussie thing does not come across well in print always

The price of bananas is ridiculous i havent had a banana in 7 weeks :)

KREE IS A GANGSTAA BIATCHH TRUESKISS!!?? :)

Lost me, American Negro slang when used by them can be harsh, whites even worse.
talking about a man haveing sex with mum.
And that other word?
Hate to be so insecure again hope you grow up ok and soon.