As Australia prepares for the upcoming federal budget, there is a growing push to prioritise locally made products in a bid to boost the nation’s economy.
With some of our iconic brands owned by foreign companies, is the Prime Minister’s “Team Australia” campaign actually working?
On Thursday morning’s episode of The Briefing, we are joined by the CEO of the Consumer Policy Research Centre, Erin Turner, to break it all down.
Research indicates that the Australian Made logo, which appears on around 4,500 products, is widely recognised and supports approximately 40,000 local jobs.
A recent study by Roy Morgan revealed that over 80 per cent of Australians make an effort to buy local goods when possible.
So, how can you tell if something is Aussie made and owned?
“It’s a really nuanced decision. You’ve got to think about if something is grown in Australia, made or manufactured in Australia, who owns it?” Turner said.
Turner explained that the decision to support Australian-made products is more complex than it may seem.
“It’s not as simple as just saying buy Australian. It’s actually a really complex decision and you might not have all the information you need to make the choice,” she said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called for Australians to get behind a “Team Australia” initiative, promoting locally made products as a way to counteract international trade issues, such as the ongoing tariff disputes with the United States.
However, Turner argued that beyond buying Australian-made, there’s an urgent need for Australians to think about repairability.
She highlighted the importance of focusing not only on buying local but also on ensuring that products can be maintained and repaired within Australia.
“If the Prime Minister wants to have a discussion around supporting Australians and growing that kind of economy with Australian dollars to Australian businesses, one of the greatest things we could do is talk about how we repair and control more things in Australia, not just buy things.”
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