I am assuming that happened because of your proximity to Datsun, Toyota & Honda manufactures and later South Korea?
When Australia was young it worked hard to build up manufacturing as it help protect Australia if a war broke out (it allowed Australia to produce planes in WII for example) and it generated “smart” jobs from our agricultural base.
Australia used to make lots of things like computers, fridges, TVs and we had lots of small businesses supplying and supporting the big brands.
In the chase for the cheapest price and the naive view the world has a level playing field and free market we lost all of that.
Basically Australia now is a hole in the ground for mining, agriculture with a struggling tourism industry. All basic levels in the cycle with countries like China getting the most profits and brainy stuff from the high value finished goods.
Australia is not the only place to fall into that trap. Eg the EU is now protecting its local EV car manufacturers from China who are dumping heavily subsidised cars into Europe.