One of the things that attracted me to Southern Cross mowers is that I loved the idea of them being made in the big country town of Toowoomba in Queensland, Australia. The Foundry once employed a great many local people and made a great many products. When you think of the amount of local manufacturing that has disappeared today, it is shocking to say the least. Toowoomba also had a large milk factory that processed milk from the region's many farms. Then deregulation came along (for "necessary" reasons, we were told by those in power) and so the factory closed its doors and so did many of the local dairy farms. I am certain that I will live to see the day when all of our milk is processed in China and shipped back to us, unless things change for the better in a hurry (but I am not sure when or if that will ever happen).
I got to thinking one day, if someone was to rebuild these mowers here in Australia, or even carry on the legacy of trying to produce an all-Australian made engine or mower, they would really have their work cut out. Where are the foundries? Where are the moulds? Who would be even willing to contemplate such a venture today, with the market place flooded with cheap overseas imports? Where are the skilled labourers, designers, engineers and craftsman gone? Even the bolts, nuts and screws would in all likelihood come from China.
We also now live in a world so dominated by rules and regulations and safety that we are seeing a whole generation of our children being wrapped in cotton wool. Trees have to be felled in parks in case a branch should fall on "Little Johnny's" head while he is playing. Sand is now regarded as being unhygienic and is being replaced with rubber mats, as is lawn and concrete. I expect any day soon they will be wrapping up playground equipment and posts in bubble wrap in case some kid is texting and not looking where is he walking.
As a good mate told me recently, Australia cannot even manufacture toothpaste or mouthwash any more, and many of our foods now come processed and packaged from overseas, and there are only a couple of soap manufacturers. We cannot even knit socks any more and you don't mend anything, you just throw it in the bin and buy a new one. The art and science of making many simple household products is being lost. Almost 95% of all non-food products on our shelves are "Made in China". I commented that if ever there is another global war, or even a war involving only the Asian countries, Australia will soon run out of basic essentials. There are craft industries making small amounts of old-fashioned products, but they would not be able to keep up the demand. Will we learn how to make things for ourselves again, or will we simply starve? My mate then laughed and said "Well mate, if ever there is a war the enemy will be able to smell us coming! And we can fend them off with our terrible bad breath!" Ain't that the simple truth!
