Warwick shoppers urged to check buys twice this Christmas

Push to make the Southern Downs a ‘locally made’ hotspot as Australian-made and produced products become a rare catch.

BUY AUSTRALIAN: Australian Made is urging Aussies to buy local now in the lead up to Christmas.

WITH only 10 more weeks until the arrival of Christmas, Warwick shoppers have already begun their hunt for the perfect present — but before you buy, Southern Downs businesses are begging you to think twice this year.

The latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show 921,800 Australians were still out of work in August, with national manufacturing numbers dropping by 50,000 since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The one shining light is a growing consumer sentiment to “buy Australian made.”

It was what had bolstered Granite Belt business owner Bruce Humphrey-Smith to take the leap and open Rural Australia Merino earlier this year.

“I think nationally and locally with looming international relations, we are looking for things made locally and not imported items,” he said.

“Take the drought, bushfire and now a depressed economy, I think people are more concerned with items having a long term future than a short-term cost savings.”

That didn’t mean it was always easy to find a fully Australian made and produced product, and Mr Humphrey-Smith encouraged buyers to do a closer search on labelling.

“Earlier this year, I went to buy a jumper and I swear I checked the website and it said it was Australian-made, but while it was Australian wool, it wasn’t Australian-made,” he said.

“The focus of interest in this whole project is how many people interested in the fact it’s possible to get both.”

BRANCHING OUT: Designer Romina Vella and Bruce Humphrey-Smith diversified when their business Rural Australia Merino was launched.

But the extra work was worth it, Mr Humphrey-Smith assured, as dollars spent locally would give other businesses the chance to flourish.

“We have a local woodworker we go to make stools, and now he’s making so many things to keep up with demand,” he said.

It was something Australian Made Campaign Ltd (AMCL) Chief Executive, Ben Lazzaro could testify to as the organisation began its ‘Buy Australian Now’ Christmas push on the back of increased “consumer appetite”.

“By buying Australian right now, not only are you getting products grown in our clean, green environment and made to the highest of manufacturing standards, you are also pumping money back into the economy, creating jobs, strengthen local industries and supporting local communities,” he said.

For more information on Rural Australia Merino, head their Facebook page.

Originally published as