Importing goods from around the world give the Australian consumer a broader range of products to choose from at an affordable price. However, some imported goods, that are available in the domestic markets, are relatively inexpensive due to low labour costs in developing countries. For example, two t-shirts are made - one in China and one in Australia. Both t-shirts are of the same quality and the same style. Yet, the t-shirt made in China has cost AU$1 to produce compared to the Australian made t-shirt at AU$10. Naturally, the consumer would purchase the less expensive t-shirt.
Such examples have lead domestic manufacturers to oppose global trading because their products cannot compete with the cheaper imported alternative. Governments play a major role in regulating the flow of imported goods into Australia. Tariffs, quotas, and subsidies assist in making domestically produced products more competitive with imported products. Reducing tariff barriers, and giving incentives to domestic manufacturers, "lifts the wealth of all nations by allowing them to concentrate on those where they have greatest expertise." (globalisationguide.org, 2001) However, not all consumers purchase the cheaper product. A fact sheet from the Australian Made Campaign website reveals that "88% of consumers prefer to buy Australian whenever possible and 77% are happy to pay a little extra for Australian made goods." (Australian Made Campaign website, 2003).
Critics of globalisation take the view that globalisation means a "worldwide drive toward a globalised economic system dominated by supranational corporate trade and banking institutions that are not accountable to democratic processes or national governments." (Hardwicke. L). They argue that this is causing a rising inequality in wealth, and that given free reign, market forces give the power to add further to their wealth. For instance, large corporations invest in poor countries only because they can make greater profits from low wage levels or because they can get access to natural resources.
