Chuck,
Some of the PO advocates are making exactly the same argument about globalisation - they then get derided about having a 'leftie green' agenda, which somehow is supposed to extinguish the validity of their arguments.
Whilst not a crash helmet wearing anti-globalisation campaigner, I personally see it as a cynical exploitation of cheap labour, literally enabled by a cheap finite resource - oil. It also leads to the de-skilling of regions and even entire countries.
There is the old joke about selling ice to eskimoes - which equates to Australia importing Bananas, Pineapples, Oranges, Lychees, Cut Flowers, and just about anything manufactured. Is generating this demand on oil a good use of such a resource when the impact on our economy and growth is starting to become negative?