Schwarky-talkie

A Schwarky-Talkie is a kind of walkie-talkie in the shape of the head of its inventor, Braden Schwark. They retail for AUD$50 and are sold in a lot of good electronic outlets such as [...] Smith Electronics and Tandy. The Schwarky-talkie also doubles as a FM radio.

History

It was first sold on Adelaide streets in 1974 and has since become popular in South Australia becoming the leading brand of two way radio in SA. It is estimated that the Schwarky-Talkie has sold over 500,000 units since the late 70's.

Recent Events

The Schwarky-Talkie has had so much success in South Australia that in early 2002 it listed on the BankSA Heritage list as an South Australian icon. The original factory where the Schwarky-Talkie was made has also been recommended for heritage status.

In late 2005 it was reported in the media that the parent company responsible for manufacturing the Schwarky-Talkie has moved its production line to Asia in an attempt to maximise profits. It was reported that most sweat shop workers are being paid as little as AUD$0.80 an hour leading to the once popular South Australian icon being stripped from the BankSA Heritage List.

By March 2006 the Schwarky-Talkie brand launched an appeal to the High Court claiming that they had not yet put the Schwarky-Talkie into production in Asia, but it was merely an option that they had only been looking into. They claimed that the implementation of sweat shop style production was untrue and only an attempt by rivals to cause a rift between the owner and founder Braden Schwark and his younger Chinese wife, Yao-Li Schwark, who is an advocate against child labor and also part owner of the company.