The headline in The Age says ‘Buy Australian’ and free market theory aren’t in conflict.
That statement is wrong and so is the opinion piece which follows because it confuses a buy local campaign with country of origin labelling.
Buy American, Buy Australian or Buy Any Nation campaigns work on the basis of a simple, first principle concept. Consumers do not know the country of origin of the products they are buying. The first principle of a Buy My Country’s products campaign is to tell the consumer at the retail outlet where the produce or consumer products come from.
Country of origin labelling might persuade people to buy local, but that is not its primary aim.
The only aim of buy local campaigns is to persuade consumers to purchase domestic produce and products rather than imported ones and that is definitely in conflict with free trade.
Country of origin labelling isn’t always easy to do, but knowing where products come from enables consumers to make informed choices. That’s very different from telling them – often erroneously – that it’s better to buy local.
COOL gives information, buy local seeks to persuade consumers that domestic produce and products are better than imported ones.
Homepaddock 
The Feil article is strange. I’m not sure I understand what he is trying to say, other than buy local. Which, as you point out, is in conflict with free trade. I make a few comments, as best as I can, on the article here.
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