Shooting yourself in the foot

Just heard today at lunchtime that the people who are supposed to protect our country from biological nasties are about to open up our borders to bananas imported from the Philippines. :o

Apart from the diseases we will eventually import, as has happened in New Zealand, according to the same report what about our Aussie farmers? No, I'm not nor am I associated with any farmers.

When are the powers that be going to realise that people who work pay taxes as well as have money to be consumers - when they don't work or get put out of a job the rest of us have to cover the problem as well as the items they were consuming which now take a downturn so workers in those industries end up out of a job and so the whole lot goes to hell in a handbasket.

Had a recent conversation with some of the people working in a major supermarket with regards to why I should buy Vietnamese peanuts to save a few cents when arguably the best peanuts in the world come from 3 hours away in Kingaroy.

We've seen what happens when markets are flooded with cheap imports and the locals go out of business - in time the prices go up and we pay dearly for dubious quality. I don't have a problem with imports of goods we don't grow or goods we have but where the quality is lower than the imported.

I have always tried to buy Australian when I can - as I tell others, when asked, why should I?

The simple answer is,

"To buy your kid a job."

Just had to have a rant.
Bob

Good rant, Bob.

For maximum effectiveness, I suggest communicating it more publicly, e.g. Letters to the Editor of your local newspaper and/or to gummint representatives or responsible agencies. This can be quite frustrating, akin to tilting at windmills, but single-topic issues seem to work better; at least for me on a few occasions.

This is one area where Australia would better avoid the American model, which also needs improvement itself.

Joe

Bob I for one have to agree with you on this in a huge way. There is no sure way of keeping pest free fruit out then if the do decide to import. I think a decision like this would be nothing more than a costly joke and insult to our farmers who are struggling enough to stay afloat now as it is. Just my 2 cents worth.