For the umpteenth time: Free World Trade Doesn't Work

You're right - free trade doesn't exist.

As an Aussie, the lure of so called "free trade" is not only misguided but dangerous!!

As a country which relies so heavily on its agricultural sector its very interesting that at a time when we are politically split on unilateral support for the US on Iraq (at least without clear UN support), the free trade issue has finally been put as as a carrot (not that I'm a cynic of course).

The worse offenders of agricultural free trade is the US farm lobby. However, if I was in their shoes I would be doing exactly the same thing - lobbying for unfair advantage in world trade.

BUT my issue isnt with this lobby - my issue is with our politicians who at the same time championing free trade and also restricting our farm sector in competing on equal terms to the U.S.

Countries (like ours) need to realise that free trade is simply ideology and that some markets will be more free than others.

 

Gidday RugbyMan, Jump over to the introduction area, I reckon some of the crew here would love to say hello to another Aussie. There are a few of us here now!

Free Trade decimated the furniture industry in Adelaide. Most of the Chairmakers are gone, unable to compete with Malaysian Sourced rainforest timber, thrown together in low paid factories. They are even bringing in guttering for houses from overseas. Why not, theve destroyed the furniture industry, why not go for the steel industry next. Yet most workers are better off on the dole any way so why complain? Something has gone wrong in Australia, and contracts signed to free trade agreements area a big part of it.