Trade with overseas is a vital component of a vibrant society. Inefficient to make everything oneself. Horses for courses, economies revolve around skill sets.
Australia cannot afford to buy Australian for most manufactured goods. Our cost base is too high. We are better of deploying labour in the provision of education; services; mining and high-tech. Allow countries with economies geared to low cost base to manufacture. That is efficiency.
I shook my head at he naivety of rednecks bemoaning the demise of Holden and Ford. Sure we could have retained those marques if we were prepared to pay $100k for a base model car. Similar to goldbugs shooting their mouth without understanding all facets of an argument.
