We have very few manufacturing businesses in The Grove and those we do have aren’t necessarily competing with imports. For example someone growing vegetable seedlings for sale at the Ferny Grove Markets is not competing with imported seedlings.
However local buisinesses are affected by the strength of the Australian dollar.
The Reserve Bank tries to keep inflation under control hikes interest rates cuts consumer demand and sends the dollar sky high.
More small businesses unable to handle the profit squeeze opt out.
The Australian dollar’s strength makes import competition tough for local manufacturers and also difficult for anyone wanting to export.
Many manufacturers who bring goods here are focused on offshore manufacturing. They need to see a clear advantage in cost quality logistics supply chain and distribution. Teasing out the local benefit (and balancing against local costs and losses) would be difficult.