Referring to Australia as a farm like quarry and a high-tech "back-water" is true. Australia's land and resources are vast and our population approaching 20 million benefits from this. However, what we must address is our inability, or lack of desire as a nation to maximize our economic potential. Slowly, we are beginning to question our role as supplier.
To export our raw materials to be refined in Japan, and then later converted into consumer goods, to be later imported back into the country is a reality all Australians are aware of. We are losing a large piece of the world economic pie but as a nation have failed to come up with any workable solutions.
If Australian trade ministers are concerned we look like hillbillies, perhaps cutbacks in University funding can be reassessed. The opposition party is proposing the implementation of "Knowledge nation," a program that will attempt to boost not only our high-tech image but also our ability to manufacture products.
The Japanese domestic market may be a hard nut to crack but rather than finding excuses for a lack of success Australia should assess its ability to provide what markets are looking for.
On our home soil businesses are well aware of the Japanese consumer and are rapidly acquiring the skills to provide quality goods and services. If the prime ministers of both nations can come together, the sooner, the better. Koizumi has been courageous so early in his term to raise the matter of Japan's military and, hopefully, with the confirmation of a professional defense force it will not be too long before Japanese war ships are engaged in military exercises in Australian waters. Now more than ever, Australia could do with the assistance of Japan in the area of Pacific security.
We both allow US defense forces into our boundaries so why not establish our own pact and work to create a broader peace keeping force that is in the best interests of trade?
The issues are there to be addressed and now on the agenda thanks to the weekend conference. The citizens are becoming open to a reality that was once inconceivable. Yet this is the nature of change. We are fortunate to be in a position to debate it, rather than have it forced upon us. Hopefully, in the future we will also be able to look back at the present state of international affairs and wonder how sorry and unbelievable our relationship with China once was.
Brendan John Worrell is a freelance writer currently based in Perth, Australia.
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