The power behind Straya’s green and gold kangaroo logo
Aussies are a fiercely patriotic bunch. “The overwhelming majority of Australians, 83 per cent, say there is no other country they would rather live in”, according to McCrindle Research.
The McCrindle Blog also states: “In an unprompted question, Australians have overwhelmingly chosen Dick Smith, followed by Vegemite, as their favourite Australian brand. Bonds, Qantas and Holden were also popular.”
There is nothing quite like Aussie pride in Australian brands, whether they are international sports teams, multi-conglomerates or high-flying exports like Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. The fact that, in the words of Roy Morgan Research, “88.5 per cent of Australians aged 14+ are more likely to buy Australia-made products” is not alarming!
Australians quite simply prefer to buy locally grown and produced goods. This has been backed up by research commissioned by the Australian Made Campaign and carried out by Roy Morgan Research 2012. It clearly shows that now more than ever, buying Australia-made products has become more important to Australian consumers.
The Australian brand is not just a powerful asset at home, it is becoming a global phenomenon! “Demand is soaring globally for Australian products and produce as consumers begin to recognise the wide variety of Australia-made and grown products that are readily available,” said Australian Made Campaign chief executive Ian Harrison.
The best way to ensure the Australian brand is recognised is to use the Australian Made, Australian Grown logo as it is recognised by 98 per cent of Australians and 88 per cent of shoppers who say the AMAG logo gives them confidence that a product is genuinely Australian. The AMAG logo supports producers and manufacturers in Australia by helping businesses clearly mark their products as Australian.
At the same time, it provides consumers with a highly recognised and trusted symbol for genuine Aussie products. It does both of these things while encouraging consumers to look for the logo when shopping and has been doing all this since its introduction by the federal government in 1986.
The logo is a very powerful visual symbol: the green and gold kangaroo logo has been used by thousands of businesses to signify Australian products in Australia and overseas for nearly three decades. This logo is the only registered country-of-origin certification trademark for genuine Australian products and produce.
The AMAG logo can only be used on products that are registered with the not-for-profit organisation; Australian Made Campaign Ltd. The strict set of rules governing the logo’s use also requires that it must always be used with one of five descriptors: ‘Australian Made’, ‘Australian Grown’, ‘Product of Australia’, ‘Australian Seafood’ or ‘Australian’ (for export use only). To use the logo, goods must meet the criteria set out in the Australian Consumer Law as well the more stringent Australian Made, Australian Grown Logo Code of Practice.
But how do we make sense of it all?
Here’s an explanation of the logos:
‘Product of Australia’: All of the product’s significant ingredients come from Australia, and all or nearly all of the manufacturing or processing is also carried out in Australia
‘Australian Made’: The product is substantially transformed in Australia and at least 50 per cent of the cost of production has been incurred in Australia
‘Australian Grown’: Each significant ingredient has been grown in Australia and all or virtually all of the production processes have occurred in Australia
‘Australian Seafood’: Each significant ingredient has been grown or harvested in Australia and all or virtually all processes have occurred in Australia.
‘Australian’: Identifies Australian products in export markets (only). The product must satisfy at least one of the four preceding claims.
Put simply, the only way consumers can tell if the product they are purchasing is genuinely Australian is to spot the green and gold Australian Made, Australian Grown logo.
The reason it is so important to use only recognised AMAG products in the accommodation industry is because your guests expect you to dos so. Ian Harrison said: “Our high quality, health and safety standards and clean green environment have helped to make our country’s reputation one of the strongest in the world, but innovation has also played a key role.”
The Australian brand is synonymous with high quality and is therefore highly trusted by guests who see the use of AMAG produce by accommodation providers as a basic requirement. Australian manufacturers have to meet some of the highest quality and safety standards in the world.
While this can be onerous and sometimes translate to slightly higher prices, locally manufactured products are made-to-last, ethically, so buyers can purchase with confidence knowing they will be fit-for-purpose and safe-for-use.
This helps ensure the well-being of contractors and customers, and avoids costly disasters. Not to mention, access to backup services and repairs is often far easier when dealing with local manufacturers.
All tourism destinations should work in harmony with the local communities that they are situated within. Mr Harrison confirms: “Buying local will also help support and celebrate local industry and local jobs.”
He adds: “There are Australian-made and grown alternatives for nearly everything, from fashion to furniture, home wares, tools, equipment and more.”
Buying AMAG produce is a step towards a more ecologically friendly and sustainable industry. He concludes: “Australian products are also benefiting from the same demand for sustainability that has boosted the sale of locally grown food because people want to know the history of a product; where it was made, from what and by whom.”
The commitment from you in the accommodation industry to buy AMAG products should be something guests are made aware of and could be a selling point for your property.
Now is the time for the accommodation industry to revisit procurement policies. For those who are committed to ‘buy local’ policies or have plans to introduce them in the near future, this is a prime opportunity to out-shine competitors, shout out about our commitment and lead the “Australia-made” way.
To be sure a product was genuinely made in Australia, buyers can look for Australia’s registered country-of-origin certification trade mark. The green and gold Australian Made kangaroo logo has become synonymous with Australia’s high quality and safety standards. As a third-party accreditation tool it offers influence and credibility and can help differentiate. It has been used to promote genuine Aussie products for almost 30 years, and can be found on more than 15,000 products. All certified products can also be found on the online product directory.
Mr Harrison recommends that people looking for Australia-made or grown products should find a stockist by visiting www.australianmade.com.au.
Solve smelly bathroom drains with Australian invented, designed and made Drain Mate
Do you find that no matter how diligently you and your staff clean guest rooms, they still have a bad odour emanat-ing from the bathroom floor drain?
As all your drains are con-nected, including the drains to the sewer, bad odours can come up from your floor drains. The floor drain is also an access point for pests.
As they say, necessity is the mother of invention, and from these common problems came a simple, cost-effect and envi-ronmentally friendly solution – Drain Mate. Invented and de-signed in Australia, Drain Mate is also manufactured just 60km north west of Sydney – a truly Australian product.
How it works
Drain Mate is a chemical-free, one-way floor drain valve that fits easily into your exist-ing standard 100mm floor drain. Its unique self-closing trap door lets waste and water through, but keeps smells, pests, noise, suds and overflow out.
Drain Mate has already been installed in hundreds of hotel and motel rooms throughout Australia to the satisfaction of owners, opera-tors and their guests. It can also be fitted in commercial kitch-ens and in common areas of the complex, in fact anywhere there is a 100mm floor drain. Its watermark certification also means you can fit Drain Mate into the 100mm floor drain in the shower, allowing the re-quired flow of water down the drain, but keeping unwanted pests out.
AccomNews is not affiliated with any government agency, body or political party. We are an independently owned, family-operated magazine.
