you and I differ on a few things ----------------- you keep banging on about manufacturing - and I think it sucks. Here are a few comments
''the business (s)
should not be globally portable ''
that suggests that you fear that businesses will be ported off elsewhere. It also may suggests that you have a fear of IP theft
ok - I agree that there's a problem with both -------- the former shouldn't be too difficult to make rules to control. The latter is a problem ---------- but, I think that there could be ways around it - perhaps by partnering and similar.
Look at it this way - Apple doesn't have a problem getting copied - not enough to have stopped it becoming the largest corporation on the planet.
Microsoft - has an enormous issue of IP theft - but still, made a fortune for America and all of it's shareholders
Now - you move away from your fears to manufacturing -
''Manufacturing on the other hand, is not globally portable
and it employs a broad spectrum of Aussies....not just middle class geeks.
Furthermore, if our Government structures Government investment
in manufacturing properly, then this will:
-add Aus value to our raw materials exports
-diversify trade away from China
-strengthen our AUD
-"buy back some of the farm" (we have already sold out our mining, LNG our Meat processing etc etc etc)
-keep profits in Aus for future investment (we have been and still are cash starved......hence the need for
our Big 4 (Majority foreign owned) to go overseas to borrow Billions so that we can live off credit!''
etc etc - you and I have done this before -------
I think what you miss is that Oz lacks some real basics to have a strong manufacturing economy - such as
1. we are a bloody long way from anywhere like major markets
2. if one says - 'hey, what about China, that's a major market' ----- well, yes - but, look what happens when we depend on one market and that particular market is an economic competitor of the USA who has clearly shown that it will go to lengths that include war to stifle China's growth --------------- so, scratch China from our major market list please - because it's likely to fall r's over at any time.
3. You seem to think that we are somehow blessed like the Ruhr Valley -------- here's the tip, we are not. What do you see that is missing ? ---------- WATER. If you are going to set up massive manufacturing - you need water. Now, where is the water in Oz?
4. People, you need people. Now, you are not only going to need people in particular areas (near water) - but, those people are going to have to be housed, skilled, and if you are going to build a Ruhr Valley style future - they are going to have to have a REAL education, not just the infant stuff of Oz.
5. On people again - you are going to need LOTS of imports - and where are you going to put them - remember, they have to be near water. ATM, Oz can't even house it's own - particularly in those areas.
Your ideas and love of having manufacturing are really just dreams - they are not possible without people, infrastructure, research, education, funding
do you seriously think that is doable in Australia? ---------
You can sit down and try to work out ways to combat IP theft - you can sit down and work out how to get widgets made overseas IF you insist -
but, you can't sit down and work out how to get massive water supplies and large industrial areas near them and massive housing estates etc
you can do it in some place like Germany or the USA - but, in Oz - I suggest that it's mission impossible.
You can however, fund research and development of smart things. That too is going to take a long long long time to gain traction - but, at least it's doable if one has the political will and a plan, a good plan and the guts to make it happen.
you can't create water and atm ------ Australia can't even house and feed it's own people. If one magically pressed the go button on any of these large ideas (which is IMO, impossible with Ozzies agreeing to allow governments to hit the go button) - then, it's going to take decades to have major effects ---------- and the world is going to be so dramatically different by then -
(I suggest that portability will be in high demand in the future and being stuck with large industrial areas will be like having a dead duck in the loungeroom that you can't get rid of)
sorry mate --------------- you're dreamin
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