Climate Change, page-1002

"Not sure what any of this has to do to WHC, but I'll respond to your persistent trolling of this thread with irrelevancies, by asking:"

This thread was started by another poster. It started because @hagetaka kept inserting his nonsensical conspiracy theories and blatant scientifically illiterate comments into every other post on other topical WHC threads. I only ever responded to his B.S. He insisted on inserting his opinions into every other comment. Casing point below



Whether you buy into his crazy conspiracies or not, is irrelevant. The point is, he continually posted off topic nonsense, and I was one of a few that called him out on it.

"Can you name companies in Australia that manufacture:

1. solar grade polysilicon ingots, and
2. polysilicon wafers and panels?"


Looks like they're about to.

"And if that is indeed what you are suggesting, then if locally manufacturers of renewable energy infrastructure (or any product, for that matter) are unable to stand on their own merits, why should feel consumers feel a need to call for government (i.e., taxpayer) support of those industries?"

Because thats how grants and government support work? Surely you must know that plenty of businesses/industries receive government funding in order for them to start up/thrive/invest in better technologies? This isn't a new phenomena.

"If local renewable energy equipment can be sourced outside of Australia at a cheaper cost, why should business and households be expected to pay premium prices just because something is locally made?
We don't do it with clothes, or cars, fridges, computers, medical devices, medicines, mobile phones, nor for a vast array of other essential goods and services, so why should we do it for a particular economic sector you happen to favour?"

There are plenty of reasons; (And this is where government subsidies would assist).

It's an investment in the future of Australia, creates jobs, security, innovation, creates future cashflow etc etc.
If we create/build/research/develop these things ourselves, we are less reliant on foreign imports. Take for example the supply chain issues resulting from the pandemic. Well, if we created those products here in Australia, guess what? We dont have as big as a supply chain issue than if we have to import products from overseas.
Australians do often pay a higher price for "Australian made" products. Maybe not cars or phones, but certainly plenty of other products.

As other posters have pointed out, slave labor is an issue in some products. You have a few options then. Not buy the product at all, not even at a higher price in Australia. Buy the product for the cheaper price and "encourage" slave labor, or buy the product from Australia for the higher price.
N.B I am not suggesting everyone should buy the more expensive product and deal with their finances afterwards.

For example, waste management is an expensive service provided to Australians. Billions spent annually. It would be cheaper for everyone to just dump their rubbish on an open lot and be done with it. But, there's negative consequences, so we spend the extra money, and dispose of waste appropriately.