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Four pairs of leather boots lined up on wooden boardwalk

"This boot is built like a $[US]200 boot … for 600 bucks?"
he said.

Still from Rose Anvil YouTube video looking at RM Williams boot quality.

Jess Wootten stands in front of a display of shoes.

"There's them, and then there's fresh air, and then there's us,"
he said.

Four pairs of leather boots lined up on wooden boardwalk with ocean in background

Leather craftsman Jess Wootten holds a cut-in-half leather boot.

A pair of weathered RM Williams boots.

"The effect of being protected from competition stifled innovation in large sections of industry."

"We can't compete on wages costs with developing and emerging countries,"
Professor Green said.

"I don't believe that manufacturing in Australia is a sensible option."

Leather boots on display at a shop.

"And it's been built over 80 to 100 years of delivering really high-quality products. They've really undermined that through purchasing decisions."
RM Williams has died, aged 95

"We are a brand that prides ourselves on transparency,"
they said.

Jess Wootten works on a shoe at his Wootten shop.

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