I have no idea where it is all heading but I think the ability to repair is probably on the decline worldwide not just in Australia because it has become cheaper to replace than repair. The Chinese factories still need many skilled trades people etc to build the machines that then mass produce the consumable products for the rest of the world. This then leaves every country in a vulnerable position should hostilities break out somewhere, but then the methods of war have changed so dramatically and become so complex that manpower is one of the least needed components of war, which is the opposite of WW1. Cyber war will probably be the way it is fought and that can quite easily shut down a countries fuel/water and power supplies.
