approved, thanks swan, page-78

Sharks,

I have no problems whatsoever with your philosophy. As a matter of fact I think along the same lines that you do.

But there are a few points/comments in your stated views that needs clarifications.

The first one is, and I am offering an example here, if you let me into your house time in and time out, and let me take anything I want out of your fridge, but than I never let you into my house, let alone offering you a drink, what would you end up doing??

How many times, (like the bible says) will you be willing to turn the cheek?? I know it says millions and millions of times, but I am sure that once it reaches the point of enough, it is then enough.

I stated all along that I have no objections to allow foreign investement here, if, on the other hand, we are allowed to do the same there. I also do know that we are a very rich Country of resources, and we can't just give it away simply to satisfy us in the short term. We have to look at the long term prospects, and for the benefits of our grandchildren too. Everything is currently moving overseas, simply to have it returned back to us in a manufactured form. The same is going on with the steel industry. What was wrong when we used to do our own production here in Australia?? Now we ship the iron ore there in China, only to have it come back to us, in a usable firm.

As far as having multinationals here, as you wrote, employing many thousands of people, it is fair enough.
But, now tell me, who is paying the bulk of the taxes while that is going on though??? The employees will pay the taxes because they are employed here and there is no way out of it, but as far as the multinational companies goes, very little tax, if any, will be paid here. All the profits have gone somewhere in the world where no taxes are applicable.

Look at what happened with the meat industry. When the local meat industry was handled by the local abattoirs (mayority of them were owned by the local councils), every one was happy, profits were all here in Australia, the farmer was receiving good prices for his livestock, the consumer was getting good value for his purchase price, and everything was going full steam ahead.

In came the multinationals that started buying all the abattoirs and, within a few months after owning them, closing them down until there are only a few ones left that dictate all the terms, including the prices that the farmer is getting and what the consumer will pay at the shop. Is that fair? Is that the way you wanted it to go???

The multinationals then started again screaming that the single desk for grains in Australia wasn't very good for the market and the free trade, while for the grain producers they were reasonable prices for them to at least cover their costs, and a little margin.
Everyone was happy then. The farmer was getting a reasonable return for his work and risks involved, the little towns were thriving, and the loaf of bread was only about a dollar at the shop/supermarket, or even less.
In the end they (the grain traders), won and the single desk was removed. This year in its first year of operations, the grain growers are practically going broke because the prices that have been offered by these so called free traders, are not even enough to cover their costs of production, the small towns are desperate to survive, more and more of the young generation are leaving to go to the City, and the price of a loaf of bread is about $3.00 if not even more.

An the list goes on and on, and I don't think that I would be allowed to write a full book of events about it, here in HC. IS THAT WHAT WE WANT?????

And lastly on one of your comments:

"(I just happen to believe that government should not be in business. )"

Having been in Business for most of my life, if not all, I believe along the same lines as you do, to a certain extent Sharky.

But, if we allow that to happen, then we should have let all of those companies and all of the financial institutions that caused the greef in the first place, to go broke. Not using taxpayers funds to bail them out.
We should all do the same as they did in Sweden.
Once they went broke, the government there then bought them out, and from what I belive refloated them into the market, so that they could recover all of the Taxpayers money that they have put into it, in the first place.

Why should the Government, (with taxpayers funds mind you), give the money to these companies for nothing?? If they give them our money, we should take a stake in the company in return. FAIR IS FAIR. If they want that stake back at some stage or another, they should pay it back, with interests, lol.

And, "(I am sure that most of us here have one thing in common by our presence on this forum - we would like to see FMG do well.)"

With this statement I agree fully Sharky. I still reckon that the Government should come out and help us, not just FMG, but also other struggling companies, AND NOT FOR NOTHING, BUT WITH INTEREST CHARGED UPON THE LOAN WHICH IN TURN WILL HAVE TO BE SECURED.
We are bailing out the Banks with taxpayers funds, whom in turn do not want to lend money to our struggling businesses, and we can't help our mining industries which are in fact helping in balancing our trades deficits, for crying out aloud??

My thoughts,

Buddy