Having a small population we can't have big, mass-production manufacturing, that seems clear.

But what about lots of small factories, many of them housed in abandoned car factories and each employing 10-20 highly skilled workers, making high quality products in small quantities for export? Ceramics, stained glass, quality furniture, office furniture, quality paper, small printing presses, glass ware, carpets and rugs, light fittings, watches, on and on it goes.

All made with high tech equipment, not hand made.

OK, pricey, and it would take years to build up the skills base, but it could create a longterm export industry. We have 2 million small businesses, why can't, say, 50,000 of them be export oriented manufacturing, each small but collectively big?

Government would have to find the money for training, to import skilled workers, and to buy the equipment, but once up and running it could go on for ever. Clem Gorman

In general that's a great idea, however:

1) In the long term there won't be anyone to export to.
2) In the long term there won't be anyone outside Australia to maintain/replace the high-tech components of the machinery.

We can and do produce electronic equipment in Australia, but if it's on the high-end depending on extremely high-density nano silicon technology that can only be produced in absolute vacuum, then only few countries can produce it and Australia would not be among them.

So lets not think about export, but about producing what we need once the rest of the world jumps over the cliff and lets make sure that we can also produce all the components of the machinery itself within Australia.

dear cLEM..ITS A NICE IDEA..concept..but it wont work..the second they are required..to pay rent..and pay other..aND PAY/UP FRONT ETC..THE DEBt LOAD KILLS ANYTHING..[forgive my computer dying]..for too long govt has seen the poor as an endless tax cash cow/so much so our kids are burdened with ever increasing debt loads/even our business ARE loaded with debt/bedt produced by the least productive/biggest value thieving BURDEN.. the bankers..or rather them debaiTng the value from the queens coin[high TREASON]

THOSE scum..who stole goVTS RIGHT TO ISSUE MONEY FROM THE PEOPLE
that gave us this huge tax burden/they only hope to hyper inflate away..when inflation is the problem[when the fed reserve got privatized..a dollar was a unit measurE OF SILVER/the stored VALUE/BUT the money changers/INDUSTRY SMELTED THE VALUE INTO MERDE

RUNNER IS RIGHT..
id say get a reaL job..IF YOU CAN..BUT DONT EXPECT PAYMENT..becaUSE THE DREAMERS Made this nightmare..THEY WANTED WORK FORCE CASUALISATION

they wanted slaves that pay tax on wages/the thinkers dreamed up this mess/industry..cant fix it..hell is full of stuff we wanted..we want it only to TRASH it..AND GET the next junk latest/better value added...improved..consumable..the future will be diy/cause you cant afford others doING IT BADLY..FOR WHAT..SWEET FA..

WORK FROM CRADLE TO early grave/do as your told/pay me/pay me pay me..welcome to capitalist hell..they gave us EVERYTHING THEY TOLD US WE WANTED...IT ONLY ENSLAVED US INTO ETERNAL DEBT.

I was a sales rep for a small manufacturing company we employed 11 factory workers 2 office staff 1 delivery driver and 3 sales reps to cover N.S.W. However other companies began producing similar products and they found it hard to compete so they began to import from China; so for us to stay in business we had to reduce our factory staff to 1 to produce specialist products and retain our higher paid reps and management. Good idea but what products can Australia produce that the Chinese cannot copy.

There speaks someone who has never started a business in Australia, clem gorman.

>>But what about lots of small factories, many of them housed in abandoned car factories and each employing 10-20 highly skilled workers, making high quality products in small quantities for export?<<

For every one incentive to create a company - say, the appearance of a niche market in which profits are possible - there are ten disincentives. These range from the availability of start-up capital (non-existent), the pain of borrowing from a Bank (they want you to mortgage your home to them), the agony of workplace legislation, health'n'safety, GST, FBT, Super, payroll tax etc. and the complete lack of protection for the employer against malevolent staff (oh, oh, I've been bullied) - the list is extensive.

The day the government makes it attractive to start any business in Australia - let alone one that is "housed in abandoned car factories", I will dance naked down George Street.

(Sorry, that might itself act as a disincentive. Let's just say, I'll be pleasantly surprised)

Incidentally, just for the record, I have started a total of five companies over the past fifteen years, so I know intimately whereof I speak...

pericules..<<..Incidentally, just for the record, I have started a total of five companies over the past fifteen years, so I know intimately whereof I speak>>

funny aBOUT THAT..ME TOO..IT SEEMS A MID LIFE THING
i see the retiresees getting their cash payoffs..getting sucked into many a grand sceme..to takeway..their cash/their savings..their investments etc

those whith the cash..need to say thanks.and stop trying for 'the big one'..and enjoy the cash..instead of letting bankers enjoy it for them

so what if it dont get intrest
if you got cash in hand..you know bankers cant bail it into worthless shares in broke banks..im notinG THE NUMBER OF CLOSED BUSINESS..THIS MEANS LANDLORDS NOT GETTING RENT..THIS MEANS A GLUT IS ON THE WAY..AS INVESTERS TRY TO GET SOMETHING/BACK....if you got the cash..you have the cash..iF THE BANKER..has your cash..he thinks its his.

its just how human nature goes
retirees shouldnt be allowed one single cash withdrawel/till we see how ya spent the last one..[it may seem harsh..but you can learn from the same mistakes for half the loss.4 out of 5 fail..its just how it goes/the closed shop is a sign..the owner of the business is soon to loose his house...[even co-ops fail..if yoUR USING BORROWED CASH..it will fail/i only ever invEST CASH ON HAND.

GOVT REVENUE RAISING MEANS YOU WILL GO BROKE
if not this year..then next year[if you get an offer/take it/later you can buy it back for one third...]..damm..its aL SO negaTIVE..

BUT JUST CAUSE YOU CAN MAKE IT..who can afford to buy it.
AND THATS WHERE ANY SCEME WILL FAIL

RE GM.. i would retain it as a repair restoration center
the future will be more restoring things than building them from scratch