Buying Austrailan made

GhiaEB · 31-10-2011, 04:32 PM

How many of you go out of your way to buy Australian made goods? I try whenever possible to buy Aussie made. In light of some of the recent QANTAS remarks (while trying not to turn the into another QANTAS thread) regarding offshore workers, I wonder how many people look for the Aussie made symble?

I try to buy Aussie made anywhere and everywhere I can. Right down to when Bonds stopped making my favorite jocks here and sent the designs off to china to be made, I stopped buying them.

So you pay a little bit more? At the end of the day the money that says here! To be reinvested here. The Australian manufacturing industry is almost non existent these days(compared to yesteryear), try to buy an Aussie made TV. Although if you do your research, you can still buy an aussie made fridge and washing machine.

Let's try not to get this thread locked

Cheers

woteva · 31-10-2011, 04:45 PM

It is bloody hard to buy Australian these days but I do go out of my way to avoid anything made in China or India.

Kryton · 31-10-2011, 04:46 PM

I buy QUALITY.
I dont really care where its made, as long as its built properly and made to last.

TheSneakiness · 31-10-2011, 04:51 PM

At the end of the day guys its the minority trying to help the minority. People buy now based on cost, not on loyalty or origin of manufacture.

prydey · 31-10-2011, 05:06 PM

some stores may be foreign owned, but they still employ australians in their australian shops so you are still helping to keep australians in jobs wherever you buy from.

manufacturing in australia is expensive due to our cost of living. inflation has ruined it for everyone.

Halfmo Rocks · 31-10-2011, 05:27 PM

i try but its getting harder to find aussie made stuff, as has been mentioned already.
i will always do my best to buy a car that is at least assembled here, so some aussie jobs are kept...even if the profit goes overseas at least aussies are employed for it.

InfernoSR · 31-10-2011, 05:32 PM

With Coles and Woolworths not supplying much Australian made produce, it makes it harder to find. I'm just waiting for Dick Smith to start selling his goods online, thats where i'm slowly starting to buy my products from.

BigBlue · 31-10-2011, 05:40 PM

Tricky to do these days since so much stuff is labelled "Made from local and imported ingredients" but yeah where I can I do buy Aussie made stuff.

Peter.

Adamz Ghia · 31-10-2011, 05:43 PM

I buy Australian where it is cost effective for me to do so.

For example, we change our lounge suite every 5 or 6 years. For our last one that we just got rid of we went to Harvey Norman and looked at an Australian made lounge for $5800. We went to another furniture store, found the same lounge, but made in China for $2200. It lasted fine, no undue wear and we've passed it onto another family, so quality wasn't an issue. Can't argue with that.

prydey · 31-10-2011, 05:46 PM

i reckon many shops try to use the aussie made logo to get more out of you. they try to appeal to your patriotism and emotion.

GhiaEB · 31-10-2011, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prydey

some stores may be foreign owned, but they still employ australians in their australian shops so you are still helping to keep australians in jobs wherever you buy from.

I'm not talking about ownership here. Holden, Ford and Toyota are all foreign owned and all three build have manufacture here. Even Kraft is foreign owned and make Vegimite here.

The retail industry will never be as big as the manufacturing industry in regards to jobs. Walk into of those 3 dealships, it takes 1 person to sell you the car. How many to make it.

Sadly I fear this is where we are headed into a retail/service economy. Where we only sell/maintain what was made offshore.

SEZ213 · 31-10-2011, 05:47 PM

There is an online grocery store that I used to frequent that only sells Australian products - onlyoz.com.au - can't tell you what their food is like - but it was the only place I could find what I was looking for...

GhiaEB · 31-10-2011, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigBlue

Tricky to do these days since so much stuff is labelled "Made from local and imported ingredients" but yeah where I can I do buy Aussie made stuff.

Peter.

I know where your coming from. I work in a plant bakery, we make all our goods from local & IMPORTED ingredients. But it keeps me employed. In an ideal world it would be 100% Aussie, but this isn't an ideal world. I still would gladly take any product the is made from "local and imported" rather than 100% imported. Sadly some of the ingredients just are not made here anymore.

Franco Cozzo · 31-10-2011, 06:04 PM

Why would I buy something from here when I can import it from overseas for half the cost or less? If its under $1000 I don't even have to pay GST on it either, or import taxes, or sale taxes depending on which state in the USA I get the items from.

Example, I get my Caterpillar boots from Amazon USA for $90 delivered to my door, or I can go to Tullamarine in the work wear shop over there and pay $240 for the same shoes and have to drive 50km for them.

I got my DeWALT drills from the USA also, I got 4 18V batteries, XRP 18V drill, 18V 3/8" Impact gun, 18V cordless wet/dry vac and a 18V fluro worklight for the same price Bunnings was selling the drill and a battery for.

I bought a lawn mower from the USA also, only took 5 days from payment to end up on my doorstep.

At work we canned our entire Sydney manufacturing operation to get our furniture made in China and shipped out to us in 40 foot containers because it was much cheaper.

I got some car parts from Germany because it worked out much cheaper to get them shipped from there then to buy them from a supplier here.

Ford_The_Win · 31-10-2011, 06:20 PM

As far as food goes, I refuse to buy anything grown overseas... I'd rather pay extra for Australian stuff rather than cheaper crap imported from South Africa, China or Thailand. If you buy the cheap and nasty We Love Coles or Home Brand it is almost always foreign.

When it comes to other stuff I normally buy whatever is the best quality or the best value. I have bought plenty of stuff made in Australia that turned out to be rubbish. Bought an Aussie made esky and it is rubbish, full of holes and horrible sharp moulding edges, and I won't buy an Australian made car.

GhiaEB · 31-10-2011, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Damo

We should completely give up on manufacturing/retail industries and turn Australia into a great big dirty hole, dig up the dirt which sells for lots of money and sell it to China.

Shall we start in your backyard?

flappist · 31-10-2011, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Why would I buy something from here when I can import it from overseas for half the cost or less? If its under $1000 I don't even have to pay GST on it either, or import taxes, or sale taxes depending on which state in the USA I get the items from.

Example, I get my Caterpillar boots from Amazon USA for $90 delivered to my door, or I can go to Tullamarine in the work wear shop over there and pay $240 for the same shoes and have to drive 50km for them.

I got my DeWALT drills from the USA also, I got 4 18V batteries, XRP 18V drill, 18V 3/8" Impact gun, 18V cordless wet/dry vac and a 18V fluro worklight for the same price Bunnings was selling the drill and a battery for.

I bought a lawn mower from the USA also, only took 5 days from payment to end up on my doorstep.

At work we canned our entire Sydney manufacturing operation to get our furniture made in China and shipped out to us in 40 foot containers because it was much cheaper.

I got some car parts from Germany because it worked out much cheaper to get them shipped from there then to buy them from a supplier here.

We should completely give up on manufacturing/retail industries and turn Australia into a great big dirty hole, dig up the dirt which sells for lots of money and sell it to China.

And one day when you have a problem and need help I will find this post, show it and suggest you look for help on an overseas forum......

I buy my meat from the local butcher, bread from the baker, fruit from the fruitshop and only grown here unless not available, fish from the fisheries and anything else from IGA as they are locally owned and keep mostly local products.
I have lost faith in the Colesworth duopoly and now avoid them whenever possible.

Smoke Pursuit · 31-10-2011, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flappist

And one day when you have a problem and need help I will find this post, show it and suggest you look for help on an overseas forum......

I buy my meat from the local butcher, bread from the baker, fruit from the fruitshop and only grown here unless not available, fish from the fisheries and anything else from IGA as they are locally owned and keep mostly local products.
I have lost faith in the Colesworth duopoly and now avoid them whenever possible.

Me too....

I hate woolworths / coles... They can shove their petrol too!

Franco Cozzo · 31-10-2011, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pottery beige

people like you should be tied to a flaming bamboo chair and thrown off the nearest cliff...

Make sure you buy Australian bamboo and rope though

Quote:

Originally Posted by GhiaEB

Shall we start in your backyard?

Hell yes, as long as I get a small cut of the profits or get a job.

Quote:

Originally Posted by flappist

And one day when you have a problem and need help I will find this post, show it and suggest you look for help on an overseas forum......

I buy my meat from the local butcher, bread from the baker, fruit from the fruitshop and only grown here unless not available, fish from the fisheries and anything else from IGA as they are locally owned and keep mostly local products.
I have lost faith in the Colesworth duopoly and now avoid them whenever possible.

I don't buy from local IGA becase their produce is horrible. everything is going off in our local store and we avoid Coles/Safeway because they're nearly as bad.

We go to the Preston market instead, even then it seems fruit is getting average there too.

How many of you go out on Australia day and wave your Australian flags around and dress up in Australian capes which have been made in China?

Though, I've only ever filled up my Focus at our local independant petrol station, only because I'm friends with the attendant and that it seems to be good quality fuel.

BHDOGS · 31-10-2011, 07:07 PM

I would buy Australian made but i cant afford it as im poor so chinese goods for me now me go beddy bye chop chop

Jim Goose · 31-10-2011, 07:34 PM

Australian made? Is there such a thing?

vztrt · 31-10-2011, 07:49 PM

I buy were I can. It does get difficult but you can still get Aussie stuff like beds, furniture, cars, bricks, esky's, etc.

Problem these days is people's percieved quality of things is much lower then before.

geckoGT · 31-10-2011, 07:52 PM

Simple rule here, everyone is entitled to an opinion. Lets tone it down and respect the right to opinion.

If you don't like their opinion and feel the need to smack them with your key board, remember my key board hits harder.

Tone it down before I lock it down!

Pub247 · 31-10-2011, 08:11 PM

I've shopped a bit at aldi lately they may be foreign owned but most of their products are made from and in australia

tranquilized · 31-10-2011, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flappist

I buy my meat from the local butcher, bread from the baker, fruit from the fruitshop and only grown here unless not available, fish from the fisheries and anything else from IGA as they are locally owned and keep mostly local products.
I have lost faith in the Colesworth duopoly and now avoid them whenever possible.

Yep me too, especially with fresh produce. Its far cheaper and higher quality from the green grocer/butcher, so why would you bother with Colesworth??

When I do find myself there though, I refuse to buy the Safeway select or whatever the equivilant Coles brand is. The quality may be the same, and the price may be less, but the duopoly these two companies have already is just insane, and now they're pushing out all the brand name products - many of which are produced in Australia. Soon there will only be the Woolworths brand, and maybe one other, of each product on the shelves of these kinds of places.

pottery beige · 31-10-2011, 09:04 PM

afraid if i flatly refused to buy anything other than Australian made..
i would have da massive dreadlocks and roll with the great un washed bongo beaters...
living off a miniscule n meagre hand full off home grown veg.. maybe some rice..
beat my bongo..
and be mad.. bad.. smelly and angry with the industrialised world we live in...

Jim Goose · 31-10-2011, 09:11 PM

Dont forget that Woolies and Coles also own most of the Petrol and the Petrol stations in Australia, not to mention bottle shops and Bunnings....

There was a push to sell alcohol inside with your groceries and have chemists as well....

Buy local produce where you can!
Support your corner store where you can!
Buy your fuel from independant servos...

woteva · 31-10-2011, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Damo

How many of you go out on Australia day and wave your Australian flags around and dress up in Australian capes which have been made in China?

Ironic isn't it!

b2tf · 31-10-2011, 09:56 PM

Unfortunately it is getting harder and it seems more and more there are things going on that really make me wonder.

Importing apples from NZ - why? We grow the best apples in the world here.
Oranges from USA etc all the same thing.

Free trade may be a great thing but the sad fact is that a lot of people buy on price alone and when the aussie stuff that we grow right here in our own backyard is being undercut by imported junk it is going to be hard to support the locals.

On top of that I work in automotive retail and most of the stuff we sell is imported, why? Because the customer wont pay the extra for the better quality Australian product.

Dr Jekkyl · 01-11-2011, 12:28 AM

I do my best to buy Australian made/grown where possible but it can be difficult.

I have found that often it is the Coles/Woolworths generics that are the Aussie made options.

Some goods however I will not buy if they are made/grown here because of their environmental impact. Rice is a case in point - we should not be growing rice in Australia!

One product that I am very careful about is seafood. Unfortunately the situation is often 'Australian, Affordable, Sustainable - choose 2'.