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Blogs by Vena McGrath
Sunday 4 May 2008 5/3/2008 6:16:30 PM
Sunny Autumn Day in Sydney Woke up to a lovely sunny day with a cool breeze and clear skies. The weather has been great the last few days with the mountains clear in the distance making it worthwhile living out here and away from the more densely populated areas of Sydney. The nights are becoming cooler and I'm beginning to miss my wood fire that has been replaced by reverse cycle air conditioning. It's just not the same; however there's no lugging in of wood every day now and no ash to clean up from the floor. I guess I will get used to the change although I have a feeling I will feel colder this year than I have in past winters with no fire to stand by to take out the chill.
I'm waiting for a guy to arrive in another half hour or so to give me a quote for a new section of awning outside so that we can have the yard finished off and the new section of pool fencing erected and the decking completed. Time flies and the more we put off doing anything the bigger it all seems to become. The floor inside still isn't completed so next weekend it will off to choose tiles and arrange for a floor layer to do that fairly large job. I'm tired of living with a 3/4 finished project inside as it bugs me to see my once lovely home not so lovely because of our inability to get our act together and complete what we started. Life's little issues get in the way as with everyone.
My son recently returned from a business trip to China where he and a manager from his work attended a trade expo. They were disappointed with China and glad to get out of there back to Hong Kong for a few days. The smog was so bad you couldn't see across the road in China; the food was suss and Australia became a treasure to them that they wanted to get back to. I saw some photos that he took while he was away but haven't had a chance yet to talk to him about where they were taken. I'm wondering what people will think about China if they go there for the Olympics. It seems to me that the further one stays away the better as I don't think the majority of Chinese want the rest of the world over there. The unrest would make me think twice about visiting, but then I'm not that adventurous to go where I know I may not be welcome.
There's another visit to China coming up for my son as they have to return soon, this time to visit factories that produce goods the company may purchase from there. It's a very sad world when Australian companies are forced to buy goods from China so that they can continue to keep their clients happy over here with prices they are willing to pay. To buy comparative goods from suppliers in Australia to then supply to their clients in not going to work anymore.
Everyone is looking for the cheapest way out no matter if it has killed off our own industries at home. I know it's the same in many countries that are now being forced to buy in China, or make a decision to manufacture their goods in China because of what I call the 'greed factor'. It seems to me that greed is the ruination of civilisation, and all that our forefathers fought for to make our countries what they once were, is being blown to the wind to China. The future will show where the errors in judgement were made but it will be all too late.
Once China become powerful enough they will raise the stakes and those that make the big decisions will find another country to move in on. And so it goes. Perhaps one day they will come to realise that for a bit less profit for shareholders, their own countries can once more become self reliant with a huge drop in unemployment and despair and reliance on welfare for existence. But then who am I to ponder economics?
I recently purchased a Victa grass mower. Victa were once a proudly Australian owned company. My son decided that Victa was the brand to buy as it is Australian. Imagine our disappointment when 'made in China' was stamped all over the box and the paperwork. Same goes for a steam floor cleaner I purchased two weeks ago online. It arrived with made in China all over everything - designed and engineered in Australia - but made in China. No matter how much we may want to buy Australian made goods and food it's becoming harder each year to do so.
Clothing from overseas is so cheap (and some of it nasty as well). But we are in a throwaway society now where you buy goods not to last for a long time anymore. Whatever you purchase there is the thought that it doesn't matter if it breaks down or wears out in a year because for the price you paid compared to an Australian made version (if you can find one that is) you could buy probably 5 or so of the overseas version.
On a recent visit to Orange which is west of Sydney about 3 hours drive, my son bought me a pair of 'ugg' boots to replace a pair I bought up there some years ago. The company has a large sprawling shed type business outside of Orange with hides hanging around outside the building. It has a lot of atmosphere; old Aussie style. You walk inside to the smell of hide and wool and all around you there are beautiful rugs, mats, boots, jumpers, gloves, beanies etc. It used to make me feel proud that Australians were making these quality goods and I always felt that no matter what I paid for what I bought there, it was going to a good cause and to tradesmen/women. When my son brought the boots home I was dismayed to see 'made in China' stamped on them. This is a business that has been running for many years, kind of in the middle of nowhere, an icon even. And yet it too has moved it's manufacturing to China. How sad that is.
