hink of it all - of the life that is! Study your friends and foes!
Study the past! And answer this: "Are these times better than those?" The life-long quarrel, the paltry spite, the sting of your poisoned pride! No matter who fell it were better to fight as they did when the world was wide.
Rudd in free trade talks with China
"AUSTRALIA and China will accelerate negotiations to clinch a free trade agreement to stimulate their economies in the face of the global economic crisis.Speaking in Washington after a meeting with Chinese president Hu Jintao, Mr Rudd nominated increased trade and fiscal stimulation as key weapons in the fight against the crisis, which began on credit and stock markets but now threatens jobs and has plunged much of the world into, or near to, recession.
"We have great interest to greater access to China's market in goods and in services.""
::View Article::
On one hand free trade with China might stimulate our economy, but at the same time it might contribute to a decline in jobs and conditions here in Australia.
As taxes on imported goods and services from China are removed it becomes cheaper for an Australian business or company (or even consumer) to buy these foreign products instead of buying Australian equivalents, because they are often produced under lower pay and working conditions (and hence are offered at a lower price). The result is often Australian jobs like manufacturing disappearing. The only way Australian producers can compete is by lowering domestic wages and working conditions (leave/breaks/safety etc).
Free trade generally makes our economy dependent upon the import of cheap products that we can't compete with, and reduces things to the lowest denominator.
No comments