Calls for Australian made products to be prioritised over Chinese imports post COVID-19

Australia is urged to ditch Chinese imports and support local business to boost the economy post COVID-19

  • New YouGov survey showed 88 per cent of people want Australian products 
  • The respondents answered the country was too reliant on imports from China
  • Seventy per cent of people became more conscious of products post COVID-19

Australians are increasingly calling for more support for local business in a bid to boost the economy and wean its reliance off China. 

According to a new YouGov survey, as many as 88 per cent of people thought the country was too dependent on Chinese imports.

A staggering 98 per cent of older people said they wanted to see a boost to local manufacturing while seven out of 10 people said they had become more conscious of Australian-made products when shopping. 

‘Now more than ever Australians want to be making our essential­ products here,’ Australian Workers Union national secretary Daniel Walton told Herald Sun.

‘We don’t want to be reliant on China.’

A staggering 82 per cent of people believe the government has a duty to use homemade products for infrastructure projects – even if it costs more money (stock image)

Mr Morrison said the economic fallout could have been much worse, were it not for his government's response to the pandemic

Mr Morrison said the economic fallout could have been much worse, were it not for his government’s response to the pandemic

As many as 82 per cent of people believe the government has a duty to use homemade products for infrastructure projects – even if it costs more money.

The news comes after Australia entered its first recession in 29 years. 

The economy shrank 0.3 per cent in the March quarter due to the bushfires and early stages of coronavirus lockdowns, and a much larger fall is expected in the current June quarter.

‘I really didn’t want to see a recession ever again in Australia,’ prime minister Scott Morrison said earlier this week.

‘As a government we worked so hard to bring the budget back into balance … to see COVID-19 hit it like a torpedo is absolutely devastating.

‘Where we find ourselves now is heartbreaking.’

Mr Morrison said the economic fallout could have been much worse, were it not for his government’s response to the pandemic.

He said Australia was making its way back from the coronavirus crisis with the help of a $688 million home builder scheme.

‘It’s going to be a hard road back,’ Mr Morrison said.

Unions and business say the recession shows the need for government support beyond the six months envisioned when the coronavirus pandemic hit.

ACTU president Michele O’Neil said the government needed a comprehensive plan to create jobs and lift Australia out of doldrums.

A staggering 98 per cent of older people said they wanted to see a boost to local manufacturing while seven out of 10 people said they had become more conscious of Australian-made products when shopping

A staggering 98 per cent of older people said they wanted to see a boost to local manufacturing while seven out of 10 people said they had become more conscious of Australian-made products when shopping

The union movement has proposed an eight-point plan which includes lifting wages and living standards, investing in public and community services, infrastructure spending and investment in education and training

The union movement has proposed an eight-point plan which includes lifting wages and living standards, investing in public and community services, infrastructure spending and investment in education and training

The union movement has proposed an eight-point plan which includes lifting wages and living standards, investing in public and community services, infrastructure spending and investment in education and training.

‘The uncertainty created by the government’s refusal to both broaden who is receiving JobKeeper today and extend its life beyond September is causing additional hardship and reducing consumer confidence,’ she said.

Ai Group chief Innes Willox said the growth figure showed governments were playing an important role in countering the downturn, but more was needed.

‘The further support set to flow over the next few months will reinforce a rebound in activity and reduce but likely not eliminate the need for additional measures after JobKeeper ends in September,’ he said.

Shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers said the economic slowdown had been coming before the virus hit, but had been made worse by the necessary shutdowns to reduce the spread.

‘Having introduced the support for the economy too narrowly and too slowly, Australians can’t afford the government to withdraw that support too quickly or too bluntly,’ he said.

More to come 

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