Tanya Van der Water is on the floor of her family’s leather factory, supervising a skilled team as they hand craft tool belts and other kits for tradies.
She is proud of her family business, based south of Sydney, which is still going strong half a century after it was founded.
“Our goods are locally made from Australian-grown leather, produced by tanneries in Melbourne and Queensland,” said Van der Water, 41.
Tanya Van der Water plans to expand Buckaroo Leatherworks into a larger factory this year. Source: SBS / Sandra Fulloon
The Buckaroo Leatherworks factory near Wollongong is among more than 4,500 businesses to display the Australian Made logo.
This week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called for more Australians to get behind local industry, as tariffs imposed by United States President Donald Trump took effect.
Australia was to the United States, and fears are rising .
In response, Albanese and said a budget due to be handed down on 25 March would include extra support for a ‘Buy Australian’ campaign.
“That’s the one way that consumers can assist to create jobs here and to support our local industries,” Albanese said.
What does it mean to be ‘Australian Made’?
It is a sentiment shared by CEO of the Australian Made campaign, Ben Lazzaro.
“The logo means you are pumping money into the economy and keeping people employed,” Lazzaro said.
“It also means you are getting products made to some of the highest standards worldwide, from a quality and safety point of view.”
The Australian Made label is bestowed on goods that are certified Australian manufactured or grown.
Australian made goods must meet some of the world’s strictest labour, safety and quality control standards.
“It is Australia’s most recognised and trusted certification trademark for Australian products,” Lazzaro said.
“The Australian made logo is on tens of thousands of products sold here and around the world.”
Automated manufacturing systems at Buckaroo Leatherworks. Source: SBS / Sandra Fulloon
‘A big learning curve’
Van der Water was among the first businesses to join the Australian Made campaign in 1999.
“We were business number 27 to achieve that status,” she said.
“There is a sentiment associated with that label that we don’t take for granted. It means a lot in terms of the trust with our customers.”
Australians are keen to buy more locally made goods, according to recent research.
“In the Australian Made campaign’s most recent survey, more than 90 per cent of consumers want to see more Australian made products,” Lazzaro said.
“And even more excitingly, three-quarters of those surveyed say they are willing to pay more for locally made products.”
These days, Buckaroo Leatherworks at Bellambi near Wollongong, south of Sydney, makes more than 300,000 items each year.
“We specialise in tool belts, which have basically revolutionised the way tradies carry their tools,” Van der Water said.
As a 26 year old, she took over in 2013 after her father Ken died of cancer. He started the business 54 years ago, as a hobby.
“It was a big learning curve,” Van der Water said.
“Although, as I started here as a teenager, I had already worked with my dad for 10 years when he died.”
Tanya’s father Ken Van der Water (pictured) started making leather goods 54 years ago in Cape Town under South Africa’s apartheid system. Source: Supplied / Tanya Van der Water
Fleeing apartheid South Africa for Australia
The history of this business stretches back five decades, to Cape Town in South Africa under the notorious apartheid system.
The term apartheid means ‘separateness’ and was a system of racial segregation that existed in South Africa from 1948 until 1994.
“By 1980, mass uprisings began against the government’s apartheid system. And this was followed by lots of riots. Then the crime rate escalated,” said Van der Water’s mum Carol Pickering.
“Our premises were looted at that time. We had a small factory and a retail outlet as well. And then the owner of a neighbouring business was found murdered in his bathroom.
“And that sent signals to us that we needed to leave.”
Carol Pickering (left) with her daughter Tanya Van der Water. Source: SBS / Spencer Austad
Before fleeing South Africa, they were among families forcibly displaced from a Cape Town suburb, which was designated for new housing development.
“The government decided it was a really good suburb and wanted to make it a whites-only area,” Pickering said.
“So, we were moved to an area called Cape Flats. It had hardly any infrastructure, very limited transport, few schools and hardly any shops.
“And when we decided to leave, being non-whites we had to use an exit permit.”
Australian businesses fear ‘extreme economic volatility’
Tariffs and fears of a looming trade war are adding to business uncertainty, according to Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) which represents more than 60,000 businesses employing more than one million staff.
Ai Group CEO Innes Willox said: “We are going into a period of extreme economic volatility and the Trump tariffs are just at the pointy end of that.
“The bottom line here is that we’re on the cusp of a huge change in the way that the global economy operates and we need to work through how we respond,” he said.
Innes Willox, CEO of Australian Industry Group, said the manufacturing industry faces major global economic changes and that we must learn to adapt. Source: Supplied / Ai Group
A recently released Ai Group Leaders Survey for 2025 also reported a pessimistic outlook.
“Manufacturing is a bit of a trough and our economy is flatlining,” Willox said.
“We are also seeing very, very high levels of business insolvencies at the moment and that is weighing heavily on business confidence.
“Plus, we are not seeing big growth in business investment, which is a key indicator of confidence. Businesses are really concerned about the economic direction more generally.”
The ‘big challenges’ for Australian manufacturing
Manufacturing in Australia contributes $30 billion of value to the economy each year, according to Ai Group.
Manufacturing has rebounded strongly since COVID-19, with a 2.8 per cent increase in output in 2023, according to Ai Group’s Manufacturing in Australia Performance benchmark report for 2024.
However, Willox said profits are being impacted by a range of factors.
“The big challenges for 2025 are lingering inflation, high interest rates and high energy costs,” he said.
“Australian businesses are also struggling to find the workforce that they need to grow.”
Van der Water is among business leaders adapting to overcome labour shortages.
“It is difficult to find new staff at times. We often hire on qualities other than relevant experience in leather work. And that is because we provide on-the-job training,” she said.
Tanya Van der Water said running a manufacturing business in Australia is challenging due to the influx of cheaper imports. Source: SBS / Sandra Fulloon
Australian Made products may be high quality but competition with cheaper imports remains fierce.
“Products are coming in from all over the world, including very cheaply-made leather goods,” Van der Water said.
“We do not try to compete at price point, but it is very difficult because the flood [of cheaper imports] is real,” she said.
“They are often taken up by bigger retailers who assume that if it’s cheap it will sell.
“However, the artisan nature of what we do allows us to keep quality control at every step of our process.”
Van der Water is raising five children and has big plans to expand Buckaroo Leatherworks into a larger factory this year.
It’s part of a long-term plan to keep the family business going strong for another half century, at least.
“We have about 45 staff now and are proud to be known as a diverse employer,” she said.
“It speaks to the responsibility that we have as migrants to this country, as well.”
