Mooroo , I have been hearing that over time we are doomed , and yet , over time we have skipped and gamboled our way through what has been a challenging period. We dont do manufacturing support very well , our heart just isn't in it. And why is that ? Because , with hindsight , we haven't needed it. Do we care if China/S. Korea/ India is outstripping us with manufacturing? No , because they buy stuff from us . Which is more likely , us doing really well as a manufacturing powerhouse , or them and others continuing to buy our stuff , stuff we do well.
We have a trade surplus .
IMO when I kick the bucket , hopefully in no less than 20 years , we will remain the lucky country . Donald Horne's sarcasm has , with the test of time , proven to be misplaced. Maybe in another 50 years he and Lee will be proven right , but there is no evidence that they will be. Wouldn't want to bet that auto manufacturing is the centre of the universe though.
