They were badly affected because of the successfulness which was based on high prices for increasing exports of primary products and the inflow of foreign investment. But Australia owed a large and increasing amount of interest to overseas lenders. Any big fall in exports or in prices for them and any reduction of overseas loan funds would cause problems for them. When the depression struck world prices of primary products collapsed and loan funds dried up. With Loans no longer available to pay for public works and construction projects, many workers lost their jobs. This reduced the demand for goods produced by other industries. By 1930 nearly 20 per cent of Australian workers were unemployed and many others only had part time work. In 1932 Unemployment reached almost 30 per cent. As Australia could no longer borrow to pay for imports and to keep up interest payments on debts, the Australian Government raised tariffs to make imports dearer. Australia's imports fell and exports increased, but prices for them fell so steeply that they barely increased Australia's earnings.