Sue Boyce (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am not sure which ideal little world Senator Sterle lives in, but most consumers when faced with a $50 Australian-made product and a $30 made-in-China product—Senator Sterle, do you know what happens? In most cases, they buy the made-in-China products, Senator Sterle. I think you need to go back to the bottom of this before you start worrying about where the wages come from. I know from personal experience that vast numbers of manufacturers are now importing some of their product. It was that or go out of business. Would that have been preferable in Senator Sterle's view? Because when he finds the consumers who are prepared to pay between 30 and 80 per cent more for a product so that they can buy an Australian-made product that will be fantastic. Vast numbers of products have to be imported because of the competition in the industry, and perhaps Senator Sterle should even look at the truck manufacturing business: Senator Sterle, how many of those are made here right now and used?