Holden gone by 2017

[user 10312]

It's official Holden to withdraw from manufacturing in Australia by 2017.

I know everyone drives Nissans here but a sad day for all Australians really. After all it's more than just a brand but a cultural icon.

The Government should be ashamed by it's own behavior on the issue this week. Everyone knows the decision is not made by government or the board at Holden but rather by The GM board in Detroit. I can understand Abbott not wanting to give anymore subsidies but the subsidies already allocated by the previous government were not the problem but what happens after 2017. They would not commit a cent not even a tax break. The least Abbott could of done is get his trade, and industry ministers with Mike Deveraux in tow and get the backside on the plane and have meetings with the GM board in Detroit. If he saved Holden he would of been a hero if not he could at least say well we did our best, we tried. No, they done nothing except bluff and bluster. Particularly from that Shrek thing, Hockey. Pathetic really.

Thoughts?

 

[Cobez]

Unfortunately, if the sales arent happening, more cash injections arent going to do much. But it is a sad day for this country. We own a VE SS ute and a VE SS wagon as well as our Navara.

 

[nakedape]

Many issues have led to this decision from high labour costs (for which the workers and holden share joint responsibility) to small domestic market and high export costs. But the chief issue is that they continued to make cars that no one wants (globally) -- poor strategy from a vulnerable manufacturing plant.

But yeah -- pretty poor performance from Abbott's lot, effectively chased them out of the country (makes you wonder if it were union bashing gone too far)

 

[d22dave]

The flow on effects will be long lasting for a lot of family's . As OP stated abbot and co could of made or looked to be making an effort

 

[Cobez]

I still wouldnt be surprised if something saves Holden in the near future. Whether it be some sort of funding or the like. Unfortunately its cheaper to keep the manafacturing overseas and import the cars, than pay skilled workers here. Its a sad state of affairs.

 

[d22dave]

I still wouldnt be surprised if something saves Holden in the near future. Whether it be some sort of funding or the like. Unfortunately its cheaper to keep the manafacturing overseas and import the cars, than pay skilled workers here. Its a sad state of affairs.

Sooner or later we must reach the level were by people with no jobs and no money can't afford to buy all these products that are now made overseas,

 

[Jason]

Unfortunately we can't keep holding on to our darling Aussie icons, as our distance from other countries fast becomes less of an obstacle to our trade, it also becomes less of an obstacle to other countries trading with us, which makes it harder for us to compete.

If a company can't make a profit, well, they're not going to make anything. Public money can't be used to keep propping up failing companies, it just doesn't make sense.

 

[Cobez]

"They" reckon the average Commonwhore sedan will be overall $3000 cheaper once all is said and done (import taxes etc) to buy. But at what cost? I think the average Aussie would rather pay an extra $3000 and have 50,000 odd jobs stay in the country. I know i would.

 

[Aussie Frontier]

We went down this route not long ago with Ford.At least Ford had a plan to continue being a player in the Industry. Now I dont know all the latest facts etc on this but it appears from what I have read that Holden had hinged everything on a handout from the Gubberment.That appears not to have worked and now what?

 

[jjohn]

Those working for Ford or Holden have been working for the dole for years.
The government has to pull out at some point, and then pay to retrain all those while they give them actual centre link payments.
It's economic.
Tony the Greek say to me one day," you no maka money here, you maka money there".
No choice really.

 

[joe2006]

These were my words on the topic early last year:

http://www.navara.asia/showthread.php?p=142202&highlight=holden#post142202

Bugger, what can be said in jest sometimes isn't too far from reality.

 

[bullwinkle]

I reckon the media have to take a lot of the blame here. It all started with the Mitsubishi 380, which the media canned mercilessly, even though by all reports it was a pretty decent car. Australians had supposedly 'outgrown' big 6 cylinder cars. Only because the media said so. There's nothing wrong with the traditional Aussie car, it's only that a lot have people been conned into believing they're no good. Ride is better than any other for the conditions, fuel economy on a par with most small cars and very good value for money.

But on the other hand, does a country with Australia's population really need a car manufacturing industry?

For the record, I've had 5 new fords, an eb, ef, au1, au3 and sy territory. The family car is now a Mazda cx7, which we regret buying largely because it's very under-powered. The Mazda gets the same fuel economy as the au3, which was an xr6, with full racing body kit 17" wheels etc and was a fantastic car.

 

[user 10312]

I can understand most people being against the subsidies to the car industry. In fact subsidies without a plain is dumb. Much like happened with Mitsubishi. They fleeced the Federal and SA governments of millions time after time. While only producing 11,000 units a year. No mass car manufacturer can make this few a cars and survive. It was doomed to failure from the start.
Interestingly there is no car manufacturer in the world, even China that does not subsidize their auto industry. A country like Germany with manufacturing cost at least equal to and probably more the Australia have had huge success with the Ford Focus. Why- because every Focus in the world is made in Germany. The world is a changing and the Commodore was at the end of it's life anyway. GM stated this several years back, it just doesn't have scale but why couldn't GM manufacture the every Cruise in the world here. That car is also made in Brazil, USA, India, Kazakhstan, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam.

You have to wonder if there is some ideological motive for the governments behavior on this one. After all it's a highly unionized work force in the Automotive Industry. They would have a hard time cracking this one but instead removed the mat out from under there feet. The workers will probably find work- in time, not in the manufacturing industries but in rather low paid service industries. Like an un-uionized US style working poor. There like Thatcher and Regan all over again.

 

[pbk1776]

IMO - we all want affordable things in the world, but yet again we all want to be paid generously - poor development with vehicles (however I like the new VF and its features) but yet again these features was already available 10 years ago in Japan, I used to own an import vehicle Nissan Stagea that came with ie: reverse camera, DVD player, GPS, vehicle interaction, pop up monitors, all electric feature, luxury, heated seats, v6 2.5 turbo and etc... I only paid $14K imported and complied, the bonus only done 50,000kms.. Then again we all like import stuffs and now the trend of Online buying. These all factored in AU manufacturing. If people change support local supliers and restrict some incoming goods, can help AU industries to keep their businesses

 

[Nevyn]

Typical piss and vinegar from th Abbott haters, blah blah blah!!!! It's all Tony's fault, he should have given them more money like Labor gave to Ford, no wait, he was too aggressive in making Holden tell the truth, no no no I just hate Abbott so it's all his fault..... Some how!!

 

[grasshopper]

MMKAY !
This country is really headed for the poop shute.
With only Toyota left actually making cars here... it cannot survive on its own. The costs will rise for them to have parts made here by others due to the vast drop in volume with Holden gone.
Those other makers of parts will not invest monies into new equipment with the forecasted drop in production ensuring they cannot justify further investment with the AU market kapput.
The flow on effect with workers in those other supply companies/businesses will be a true disaster for our country.
Where will all of those workers find work here in OZ?
The jobless/under employed rate is climbing in reality, although the grubbyment (both sides) will tell otherwise... they manipulate the figures by including those workers now working only 30 hrs or possibly less per week as being adequately employed. What a joke.
Truly if our country keeps losing manufacturing industries to overseas, then we are really screwed... the fuel costs for international freight (shipping is truly the only way we can import vehicles), are rising along with insurance costs for them.
We the workers need all the good luck we can garner in the coming years...

 

[jjohn]

I work, on call casual daily. That means I don't know if I'm working tomorrow until 3:30-4 pm daily. Have done for years. Plus I have a mowing business.
Its just the way it is. It makes ppl industrious, the way is should be.
Work the system that is, instead of putting your head in the sand pretending its not gonna happen.

 

[doc]

I don't care about the cars - I care about the families affected. The real people.

We can hypothesise all we want about what if they built dual cabs here, and why don't they build cars the market wants to buy, but the people on the ground who will lose their livelihoods don't make or influence those decisions.

 

[pbk1776]

I work, on call casual daily. That means I don't know if I'm working tomorrow until 3:30-4 pm daily. Have done for years. Plus I have a mowing business.
Its just the way it is. It makes ppl industrious, the way is should be.
Work the system that is, instead of putting your head in the sand pretending its not gonna happen.

Exactly
everyone at home works 2 jobs
ie: I work as a pre-sales for an IT co. and work in our printing business.

I just hope peple who are affected in Adelaide can get up and look for some alternatives before the shutdown

 

[siringo]

It's a concern. We had these 2 big car companies back in the 60's, 70's, through the recession we had to have in the 80's but now they are going.

I worried about what this means to the country in general. How far is this slide going to go. QANTAS are worried about money, will they shut down or be sold off?

What type of industry comes in to take the place of these car industries? We can't all work on and with computers.