The potential closure of Tomago exposes the flaws in the "Made in Australia" dream. If Rio makes a sound commercial decision about Tomago's future, it would provide pushback against the corporate bailout culture.
It has been a busy week for protectionism, with Andrew Forrest and Harvey Norman chief executive Katie Page backing a News Corp campaign to rebuild domestic manufacturing.
Andrew Forrest, a billionaire who ships truckloads of iron ore to China, and Katie Page, whose retail chain sells imported electronic goods, are among the supporters of the campaign.
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Author's summary: Tomago's closure highlights the end of "Made in Australia" dream.