Readers may be aware of recent suggestions by Liberal MP Sharman Stone that a reform is needed in regards to Australia’s administration of our foreign aid. Ms. Stone is getting a fairly good hearing across the printed media for her innovative idea that we should be sending foreign aid in the form of goods and services supplied by our producers rather than sending over our hard-earned tax dollars to nations in need.
The National Committee welcomes Sharman Stone’s support of Australian Protectionist Party policy and trust she shows her commitment to our nation’s producers by following through with the implementation of Protectionist Party policies should her party win government in this year’s election.
The article below was printed in the rural newspaper The Stock Journal in 2009, outlining the Protectionist Party policy on providing foreign aid in the form of goods and services; an idea which Sharman Stone is keen to see the Liberal Party adopt.
[click on the image below to read the original letter]
The Chinese have got a big heads up in Africa. They are creating basic industry in a country that needs direction. Why can’t we do the same with regard to aid. Surely creating sustainability in another country that has to date relied on aid, will lower aid in the future. Rudd like any other clown that throws up the protectionist comments like it is a disgusting selfish act need to be kicked out of power like the traitors to this country that they are.
Here is a thought: Australia has had white settlement for 270 odd years – Africa more than 20,000 so why isn’t their country more advanced than ours? Because we continue to enable them with handouts. I would like to know what countries offer support to Australia when we have had severe droughts, cyclones, floods and bushfires…anyone??
I can only imagine the reaction from communist outfit GETUP and people such as Tim Costello if this policy got off the ground.They’d be howling in the streets.Why can’t these third world countries grow their own food,build their own homes and infrastructure,find cures for their own deseases and have stable government? Thats what I’d like to know.
The solution is requiring standards stringent enough to disallow foreign competition. For example inferior steel will degrade within a time period. If it is mandated that government infrastructure jobs require a certain standard, then Australian manufacturing will be given support and the critical mass to be able to export in future.
Remember our current mineral boom is on borrowed time. We are only the richest country on earth because we are drawing down on our national savings. We should be extracting more wealth from these large resource projects. When it is gone, where will we earn our income.
By mandating higher standards we have the opportunity to export our manufacturing in the future, just as Germany does.
China might be part of the World Trade Organisation, and may criticise this policy, but if it is mandated the factory had to produce the steel to a certain engineering standard with relevent health and environmental laws followed, then they will be on an even playing field with Australians.
Basically foreign purchasing of materials is bypassing not only Union wages (Fair pay) but engineering and environmental standards.
I like your approach Buddy, perhaps when you have time and inclination you might like to prepare an article expanding on the points you have made here? In regards to your observation regarding the short term wealth coming from mining, I certainly agree and feel we should be putting more R&D towards manufacturing processes and primary industry sectors which are long term generators of wealth, sustainable through correct management and necessary given the ever increasing population levels around the world. Looking forward to more input from you on this subject!
Foreign aid is the generous heart of the Western country, so it is rarely seeing the communist state such as Russia ( before), China aid to the poor country, except they provide the weapon for killing.
Australia has the aid program, but some aids those help the dictatorial regime to remain the ruthless government. In 2008, after winning the election, PM Kevin Rudd welcomed a Vietcong Pm, Mr. Nguyen Tan Dung by 21 gunshots salute, and gave away $ 93 million dollars from tax pay. However, Mr. Nguyen Tan Dung who was a key of thousand lives of Vietnamese patriot killed in 1980’s at Rach Gia province, actually, the salary of Mr. Dung is about $ USD 300, but his asset estimates up to $ 1,8 billion USD.
the Australia has to be careful about the aid, the tax pay would be wasted and it could create the millionaire, billionaire of the dictatorial regime.
Excellent points HMT, there needs to be a complete overhaul of our foreign aid so our taxes are used in a targeted way to help those genuinely in need at a time of crisis, not to prop up dictatorial and brutal regimes!
That’s a very sensible idea, therefore it will probably be ignored or “filed” for “consideration”. It may even go to a committee for “active consideration”. Most if not all of the countries to whom we give aid have that aid siphoned off by corrupt governments and those with the REAL need would be lucky to see 5% of it!