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Is Australia being ripped off?

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View Poll Results	Take Our Poll	SHARE THIS PAGE   Would you be surprised to know that 100% of the very food Australian babies eat is from non-Australian companies? Here's a breakdown of who owns what's on your supermarket shelf.     Foreign companies own . . .   80 % of the Abattoirs 100 % of the Baby Food   80 % of the Baked Beans   75 % of the Beef Processing   50 % of the Beer   90 % of the Biscuits   50 % of the Bread (major)   65 % of the Breakfast Cereals   50 % of the Cheese   85 % of the Frozen Vegetables   40 % of the Meat Pies   85 % of the Pet Food Source: AUSBUY
Did you know that only 15% of the products on our supermarket shelves are from Australian owned companies? And did you know that those foreign owned companies that provide 85% of what's in the supermarket pay little or no tax in Australia? Mark Latham, a columnist of the Daily Telegraph, wrote an article on 16 July 1999 on this very issue. He wrote, "Despite the strong economic growth of recent years most multi-nationals in Australia regularly report losses. These are large global companies with billions of dollars in assets and turnover yet never claiming a profit and therefore never needing to pay tax in this country." Yes, we want and need foreign investment in Australia. But we don't want multi-national companies who take over Australian companies and brazenly take their profits out of the country paying little or no taxes. Our once proudly owned Australian products, Vegemite, Arnott's Biscuits, Aeroplane jelly, Edgells, Fountain, Jaffas and Minties, to name just a few, are now in the hands of foreign companies. Making a difference One company trying to make a difference is Dick Smith's Foods. The company's aim is to produce a range of foods made

in Australia with Australian ingredients from Australian owned businesses. Dick Smith Foods and Australian growers and farmers are organizing Australian Owned Food Products.

The first product produced by Dick Smith Foods was peanut butter and it was followed by a variety of other products. Dick Smith Foods has also promised to replace our formerly Australian owned products Vegemite and Aeroplane Jelly with our own Australian owned and produced Ozemite and Helicopter Jelly.

Would you be surprised to know that 100% of the very food Australian babies eat is from non-Australian companies? Here's a breakdown of who owns what's on your supermarket shelf.

What will YOU do?

It's up to you as an Australian to decide if you support Australian products and Australian companies. We have the resources, the knowledge and the manpower to provide for our people. All we need is the will and support to make it happen.

By buying Dick Smiths Foods, you will be making a statement of support. Buying Australian products means more jobs for Australians and less imports. Two additional and very important benefits of buying Australian products are profits that stay in Australia to improve our economy and a fair share of taxes paid to support our roads, transport, medical and a host of things to improve Australian lives.

More Australian companies needed

While Dick Smith's Foods has the right idea, one company can not turn the tide on their own. Other proud Australian businesses must also step into the fray in their own fields and reclaim ownership of the Australian marketplace.

When they do, as Dick Smith Foods is doing, will you support them with your hard earned dollar? Or will you simply take the easy way out and winge later when another Australian business or Aussie icon is taken over? It's up to you.

Some of the brands and products owned by foreign companies

USA Ampol Amway Arnott's Avon Birds Eye Pal Caltex Campbells Chum Colgate Continental Edgell Heinz

USA IXL Kellogs Masterfoods McCains Mt. Franklin Water Black and Decker Tandy Electronics Pringles Smiths Sorbent Twisties Valvoline Watties

England Aeroguard Aussie Family Bundaberg Bushells Tea Cadbury Castrol Cottees John West Lipton Tea Macleans Mortein Ned Kelly Bread Quantas Holidays Ribena Fruit Juice Schweppes Streets Thomas Cook

New Zealand Ansett Airlines Traveland   Holland Mercantile Mutual Shell TNT   France Cradle Valley Cheese National Mutual   Japan Bridgestone Fountain Jeanswest Tooheys

South Africa Country Road Sportsgirl Taubmans   Malaysia Kambrook Video Ezy   Switzerland Friskies Lucky Dog   Hong Kong Esprit   Canada McCain