Dr Danielle Gallegos says Australians who buy local are threatening the nation's export markets by setting such an example to buyers of Australian goods in overseas markets. This view is short sighted. Despite all the campaigns to buy Australian made very few Australians actually buy local when a cheaper imported product is of equal quality. Consumers in other countries are much the same.
People purchase locally if they can find goods at cheaper prices, not to mention the convenience and enjoyment of a day out shopping. Much discussion has gone on about climate change and the need to buy "holistically" produced goods, but few people actually stop buying "mass produced" food items, preferring canned, dried or frozen vegetables to the fresh product.
Oil prices can keep rising and people will still drive cars and buy cheap food. The price of goods is what prevents products from being made locally. Pineapple is imported at a low price, so local growers opt out of the market. Australia has long forgotten the potential problem of not being self-sufficient in food production. They live for now and let tomorrow take care of itself. Goods would be very expensive if everything was made and sold locally. Australia has a comparative advantage in the supply of minerals. Its citizens take advantage of this and import some food and cheap manufactured goods in which other countries have a comparative advantage.
People purchase locally if they can find goods at cheaper prices, not to mention the convenience and enjoyment of a day out shopping. Much discussion has gone on about climate change and the need to buy "holistically" produced goods, but few people actually stop buying "mass produced" food items, preferring canned, dried or frozen vegetables to the fresh product.
Oil prices can keep rising and people will still drive cars and buy cheap food. The price of goods is what prevents products from being made locally. Pineapple is imported at a low price, so local growers opt out of the market. Australia has long forgotten the potential problem of not being self-sufficient in food production. They live for now and let tomorrow take care of itself. Goods would be very expensive if everything was made and sold locally. Australia has a comparative advantage in the supply of minerals. Its citizens take advantage of this and import some food and cheap manufactured goods in which other countries have a comparative advantage.
