I don't think that we should stop making things here because we can import them more cheaply. What about pride, employing Australians (not as slave labour like the CCP) - the things we used to do before our politicians and carpetbaggers brought Communist China into WTO. There is not a huge difference between the local and Chinese prices, and Australian made us better, and not made by slave labour in dangerous conditions. Do-gooders rubbishing their own people and pretending they are concerned about other races and cultures (e.g Paul 1405) conveniently overlook the appalling treatment and conditions suffered in places like China.

SM,

Using my band-aids example, yes the price of the product coming from China, may be a little lower, but the quality is a whole lot lower.

ttbn, no wonder we clash, you continually misrepresent my position. Sustainable manufacturing where possible should be an Australian objective.

Paul,

You are misrepresenting yourself. I don’t recall you ever being for "Sustainable manufacturing where possible". And when people of your ilk use the word sustainable, you mean the elitist "sustainability" that vitiates, or reverses, the meaning of words to which it is attached. Thus ‘sustainable’ manufacturing is DEVELOPMENT RETARDED BY TOP-DOWN CONTROL. Commitment to sustainability is now mouthed by every politician, bureaucrat, marketing executive, media hack, and Left-wing ratbag - as you have just proved.

I don't think that we should stop making things here because we can import them more cheaply.
ttbn,
Labor supporting Unions & workers & salary earners in general would need to agree on a wages/salaries/welfare/insurance premium freeze etc. for this.
It could easily be done if people curbed their excesses by not demanding any increases which would or rather should result in prices being frozen also.
This perpetual dog chasing its tail stupidity pay rise followed by price hikes needs to stop asap.
Only then can we hope to get manufacturing back to this Nation. Living standars would actually improve but unfortunately, the 'growth' morons will never understand that.

We pay too much for everything in Australia. Wages might have sometimes to do with it - so we are chasing our own tails - but think greedy company owners, directors and shareholders have something to do with it too.

ttbn,
In my opinion they're all in this together !