Holden to make "important announcement" about its VIC and SA operations

[mik]

title reads. 'The end of car makers inevitable '. Interesting article.

http://m.theaustralian.com.au/nation...-1226618662702

[DJR-351]

Originally Posted by mik

Interesting article.

http://m.theaustralian.com.au/nation...-1226618662702

I guess I’ll just have to take your word on that......

[Wretched]

try this

The end of car manufacturing in Australia appears to be inevitable, according to the Australian who rose from the Melbourne suburbs to become the global chief executive of Ford Motor Company.

BHP Billiton chairman Jac Nasser, who ran Ford in the US between 1998 and 2001, said he was disappointed that Australians were not more patriotic about maintaining a local car manufacturing industry.

Speaking after Holden's announcement this week that 500 jobs would go in South Australia and Victoria, Mr Nasser challenged the perception that Australia's car industry had enjoyed large amounts of financial support from state and federal governments.

''I would say we haven't spent a lot on it, when you compare the incentives that the automotive industry has received, to others. I don't know whether that is the appropriate conclusion,'' he said.
Advertisement

Holden has estimated that it has received more than $2 billion of taxpayers' funds over the past 12 years, and rival car manufacturers Toyota and Ford have also benefited from government handouts.

Mr Nasser lamented that Australians were not ''emotionally connected'' to the car industry.

''I'm disappointed in some of the rhetoric that I hear, where it's clear that the general feeling in Australia is that they're not patriotic around their automotive industry. In most countries around the world they are emotional about their automotive industry,'' he said.

Contraction of the car industry has been blamed on the same forces that are hurting the rest of the local manufacturing sector: the strength of the Australian dollar and competition from overseas rivals who enjoy lower wages, power and raw materials costs.

Some manufacturers have called for industry to get access to cheap gas by government decree, but large resources companies such as Santos and BHP have fought such a market intervention.

Mr Nasser said as recently as two years ago he was confident the car industry could survive in Australia, but he noted he had become more pessimistic since.

''The signs aren't good, and particularly when the car industry is reducing the number of engineers they have in the workforce, that's a leading indicator of a reduction in future programs and future technology,'' he said.

Mr Nasser said the full exit of just one of those car companies - Ford, Toyota or Holden - from Australian manufacturing could trigger the demise of the entire industry.

''Let's assume one of the three decide to exit Australia in terms of manufacturing, then you end up potentially with a sub-scale supplier infrastructure, and once that happens I think it's a domino effect.

''It would be a very sad day for Australia but unfortunately it looks like it could be inevitable,'' he said.

http://www.theage.com.au/national/ex...411-2hoho.html

[turbodewd]

Well it wont be me causing the end of the AU auto industry. Id happily buy a Cruze over a Focus and would do my best to persuade a Holden guy to buy a Terri instead of a Captiva.

But hey, thats how I roll.

2 weeks ago in Home Hardware I made sure I bought an AU-made garden hose. Good brand, nice n thick, doesnt kink.

I also buy Dick Smith fewds where possible too.

Im no xenophobe either, my wife's Indian, its just called supporting team AU/NZ. (We wud have bort a Fisher & Paykel dishwasher recently but the Mrs wanted a Bosch and its her kind of item.)

[FTE]

Originally Posted by Sprint

Holdens has not been Australian since 1964, well no more than ford, so we are just paying for GM usa..

Holden haven't been Australian since 1931

[Jason[98.EL]]

Originally Posted by FTE

Holden haven't been Australian since 1931

they have been in aus since 1856 gm took over them in 1931 but they were building for gm well before that

SEE THIS LINK

Actually a good read

Jason

[imugli]

This from the man that almost single handedly killed Ford US BEFORE the global financial crisis. Who gave us the jelly bean taurus and went on spending spree the likes of which the world has never seen... Jag, Aston, Land Rover, Volvo... Yep, sure, OK, I'll take his word for it...

[ryeman]

Originally Posted by imugli

This from the man that almost single handedly killed Ford US BEFORE the global financial crisis. Who gave us the jelly bean taurus and went on spending spree the likes of which the world has never seen... Jag, Aston, Land Rover, Volvo... Yep, sure, OK, I'll take his word for it...

At least he opened US management's eyes to the world of exportable quality and both US and PAG (as it was) benefitted.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by ryeman

At least he opened US management's eyes to the world of exportable quality and both US and PAG (as it was) benefitted.

And almost ruined Ford Motor Company financially. PAG was an expensive millstone around Ford's neck.

[chris01]

Originally Posted by bobthebilda

A weak Australian dollar would destroy alot more Australian families than a strong one. Petrol prices rise, food prices rise, financing costs rise. Devaluing the Australian dollar in half basically works out to halving an australian workers wage (its that simple)

a weak aussie dollar would cause a rise of inflation, but it would also boost the economy (why do you think Japan is doing this?) tourism would increase, wages would increase, our exports would be more competitive and Ford and Holden could survive here. But as Japan is devaluing her currency and if Australia did it also, what do you think our trading partners would do? Yes they would do the same.

[jpd80]

Nasser warns unpatriotic Aussies killing car industry


The former global president of Ford, and current chairman at BHP Billiton, Jac Nasser says the demise of Australian car manufacturing is inevitable.

Just one year after receiving a $275 million government assistance package, Holden announced on Monday it would be cutting 500 jobs.

Mr Nasser led Ford in the United States from 1998 to 2001, when he earned the nickname "Jac the knife" for his swingeing job cuts at the car maker.

He says it is likely the withdrawal of one more of the major car makers from Australian production will trigger the collapse of the other two.

"Let's assume one of the three decide to exit Australia in terms of manufacturing, then you end up potentially with a sub-scale supplier infrastructure and, once that happens, I think it's a domino effect," he predicted.

"It would be a very sad day for Australia, but unfortunately it looks like it could be inevitable."

Mr Nasser says other countries, such as the United States, have done far more than Australia to support their car manufacturers.

He also says consumers in those countries are far more supportive of local products.

"It's clear that the general feeling in Australia is they're not patriotic around their automotive industry,
and in most countries around the world they are," Mr Nasser added.

Aaron Cartledge from the CFMEU says Jac Nasser's assertions about the demise of Australian
automotive manufacturing are well founded.

"I think he's got a good point. I think what he raised was that if Australian people don't get behind
their vehicle manufacturers, and if they don't show a level of care, that it could well be inevitable
that the car industry goes offshore," he said.

Interesting that Jac Nasser is weighing into the fray...

[stang65]

Jac Nasser was very passionate about FORD, to be honest I wasn`t surprised he said something.

[R-Design]

Originally Posted by Mr Nasser

"It's clear that the general feeling in Australia is they're not patriotic around their automotive industry,
and in most countries around the world they are,"

I think you've got to thank Holden for that. They've been passing off their Korean Cars as "Australian" for years, no wonder consumers are confused. I think people try and do the right thing but assume things like Holden=Australian.

[ryeman]

Well they will at least be going ahead with the 'all new' VJ

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Interesting that Jac Nasser is weighing into the fray...

Gotta love the way they twist the story. All the headlines today read "Death of auto industry inevitable", when Jac Nasser actually said "sadly, in my opinion, losing our auto industry seems inevitable".

Nice way to take a few select words to change the headline from an opinion, to make it seem like a fact.

They need to put these journos or editors or whoever creates these headlines on a leash.

[1TUFFUTE]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Gotta love the way they twist the story. All the headlines today read "Death of auto industry inevitable", when Jac Nasser actually said "sadly, in my opinion, losing our auto industry seems inevitable".

Nice way to take a few select words to change the headline from an opinion, to make it seem like a fact.

They need to put these journos or editors or whoever creates these headlines on a leash.

tattoo scum on there heads and send them on non returnable one way tickets to work at an aussie car building plant. See how they like their job security and future. Bet that would stop the garbage end of the world stories overnight.
Anyone notice you never see articles about the death of papers and magazines in this online world. Surely its over and they should print gloom and doom about their own DEAD industries......SMUCKS

[ryeman]

I agree, re death of newspaper...the AGE frinstance is getting more desperate every day...a true tabloid....we shouldn't be surprised at what they come up with.

[Nikked]

My missus works in the print industry...and yes, it seems they are using the auto industry yo take the eyes away from them...

[flooded one]

Originally Posted by Nikked

My missus works in the print industry...and yes, it seems they are using the auto industry yo take the eyes away from them...

so very true. I used too work in the printing industry. they've lost heaps of jobs in the past 5 years

[prydey]

i'm a printer, and we are flat out at the moment. i guess it depends what market you are in. newspapers are dying, but the rest is ok. it is a shrinking industry though which can no longer support as many players so there are a few places that are folding.

[mik]

One of the things that has changed over the years in this country is values, once upon a time people gave a toss about Australians building stuff and had a sense of pride about it, a big proportion of the the population today seems to not have any patriotism and a good dose of tall poppy syndrome, 10 or 20 years down the track when there's no industry left the block heads that happily did'nt support industry might feel very stupid.

[WAR40T]

I'm a printer by trade also... Been made redundant twice in the last 8 years. Hasn't been a good industry for me. Not a lot of work in some areas.

[buggerlugs]

Has anyone given a reason on why the Cruze all of a sudden took a nosedive in Sales ?

[4.0i OHC]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

Has anyone given a reason on why the Cruze all of a sudden took a nosedive in Sales ?

It's not very good?

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by 4.0i OHC

It's not very good?

Yeah but not very good in what way? The average Joe Buyer doesnt seem to care if its handling is ***** and it has a weedy engine, all they seem to care about is price, economy, and gadgets/trinkets to distract them as they drive. It doesnt really explain why the Cruze is in the shitlist all of a sudden.

[FPV GTHO]

Were Holden running any promotions on Cruze that might have stopped?

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

Has anyone given a reason on why the Cruze all of a sudden took a nosedive in Sales ?

People woke up and discovered better cars in the Focus the Mazda 3 and to a point even the Corolla.

[Insidious]

It just doesn't get any better...there is talk about Automotive Global Platform that will happen here in a few years....
This is what it means
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automobile_platform

[imugli]

Originally Posted by Insidious

It just doesn't get any better...there is talk about Automotive Global Platform that will happen here in a few years....
This is what it means
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automobile_platform

All the major car makers already have global vehicle platforms that they produce many models off.

[mik]

The platform is not the problem, if they did`nt believe they could make a buck out of building the cheap focus here( a global car) what chance does anything else have?