GE, Whirlpool, Frigidaire and other American brands used to manufacture appliances in Australia. They obviously mirrored US design and technology of the day, but modified them to Australian standards, tastes and wallets.
Having immigrated to Australia straight from the US, I always felt that Australian designed stuff was a dumbed down immitation of American products, but way more expensive. In them days the Australian dollar was also worth more than the greenback.
rapunzel