Football, Meat Pies, Kangaroos and Holdens.
Could we have done more or was the writing on the wall?
I've grown up in Holdens. (though i don't own one now)
It's a sad day today and i feel for all the employees and workers who will endure the repercussions of this directly.

the end of australia

if you don't understand why

you're not australian

On the apathy note yes its bad. On the other hand my business is struggling where is my handout. So bugger'em. I bet upper management and the ceo's ect never took a pay cut to assist..

What really ****s me is the fact I can order an Aussie made part cheaper oversea's including freight, and it arrives at my doorstep.
We are so backwards in trying to go forwards.


edit: The Japanese and Euro's did nothing we did it to our-self's out of just plain and simple greed.

Wollemi said...
(although Geelong takes pride in a Holden factory being there).

?
Geelong = Ford.

Sad day in Aussie history.

dusta said..

exactly , our biggest govt department clients had their budgets cut last financial year, therefore removing millions and millions from my books . Where is my handout ?

While i feel for the workers f$ck holden i say

So, how many thousands of people do you directly employ, and how many thousands rely indirectly on this same business?

Millions and millions from your books? Half your luck!

In the end Holden is an American company. The bosses have a strategy of closing down manufacturing operations in high cost, developed countries. They have closed down car factories across Europe. They have closed down car factories across America and Canada. Australia is in a similar boat so we have a similar outcome. General Motors is moving manufacturing to less costly locations such as China, Thailand, Mexico, Brazil and countries in Africa. It makes sense for them to do this as they can import cars to Australia from these countries with very minimal costs.

Will Holden continue to drape its marketing campaigns with kangaroos and the Aussie flag over the latest car fresh from the factory in China? Will Holden hand the cash back that was given to them to keep manufacturing cars here? I think Mitsubishi collected a lot of cash from the government and then packed up a short time later.

Gizmo said..

A guy I work with his brother works for GMH in Adelaide as a designer and it well known that GMH does not have a complete flow through of (reliable) models in their range.
Most other makes have small beginners cars to mid size, to sports, to family, to work, to SUV, to prestige, to retirement level models. This forms brand loyalty. GMH does not have that ..... this all ended when they dumped the Torana and Monaro years ago.

So GMH has been out of step with community needs and desires for more than 20 years.............

torana would equate to the cruze now?
Monaro just a two door commodore. I think they brought these back recently.
i suggest it would have more to do with high labour and business costs and a high dollar.

myusernam said..

Gizmo said..

A guy I work with his brother works for GMH in Adelaide as a designer and it well known that GMH does not have a complete flow through of (reliable) models in their range.
Most other makes have small beginners cars to mid size, to sports, to family, to work, to SUV, to prestige, to retirement level models. This forms brand loyalty. GMH does not have that ..... this all ended when they dumped the Torana and Monaro years ago.

So GMH has been out of step with community needs and desires for more than 20 years.............

torana would equate to the cruze now?
Monaro just a two door commodore. I think they brought these back recently.
i suggest it would have more to do with high labour and business costs and a high dollar.

Mate a rusty, dented Torana is superior to a Cruze; if you bought one you have my sympathy. Everything from faded wing mirrors because of crappy paint jobs on new cars, chrome stripping off door handles, transmissions self destructing, camshafts wearing out in under 20000 km's, bcm's (body control modules) failing leaving a vehicle unable to start or shut off, ecm's (engine control modules) which fail for no apparent reason so no brmmm, brmmm. Radios that will not work or conversly, turn off, or the screen fails, and when they fail cost over $2200 to replace. Panel and seat trim that cracks and breaks within weeks of purchase, sensors that fail and light up your dash, or beep until replaced. You wonder why Holden is financially flucked, it's the unreliable, poorly made, vehicles that they produce. Don't get me started on the Colorado, the Captiva, or the VE ute...

Stubbies said..



Mate a rusty, dented Torana is superior to a Cruze; if you bought one you have my sympathy. Everything from faded wing mirrors because of crappy paint jobs on new cars, chrome stripping off door handles, transmissions self destructing, camshafts wearing out in under 20000 km's, bcm's (body control modules) failing leaving a vehicle unable to start or shut off, ecm's (engine control modules) which fail for no apparent reason so no brmmm, brmmm. Radios that will not work or conversly, turn off, or the screen fails, and when they fail cost over $2200 to replace. Panel and seat trim that cracks and breaks within weeks of purchase, sensors that fail and light up your dash, or beep until replaced. You wonder why Holden is financially flucked, it's the unreliable, poorly made, vehicles that they produce. Don't get me started on the Colorado, the Captiva, or the VE ute...

The Torana was made in Australia with a high local content. The Cruze is assembled here based on a Global standard platform. 25% of the Cruze components are made in Australia. The Commodore is built on a local platform using ~ 50% foreign parts. Global platforms are the way manufacturers are going. The Colorado and Captiva are fully imported.

The skill is in manufacturing parts for Global platforms. The alternative plan, that kept the Holden name in Australia, was to drop the local Commodore platform and assemble another larger global platform car alongside the Cruze. The skills we've lost are the ability to bolt in gearboxes and press a few panels.

Hopefully the local parts manufacturers can continue to supply global platforms.


www.theguardian.com/business/2013/dec/10/holden-admits-local-content-will-halve-if-production-stays-in-australia

what will be the cops cars then ? camry hybrids ? they are only locals left.

dmitri said..

what will be the cops cars then ? camry hybrids ? they are only locals left.

until Toyota pulls the pin and bail out.

Yesterday was a very sad day for me personally, seeing maybe what could be the fatal blow struck to an industry that I have worked in and loved for 25 years and knowing that many, many people who I have known and worked with for lots of years will be soon out of work and wondering how they will provide for their families. There is lots of emotional, divisive rhetoric and opinions about what could/ should have been done and I obviously have a strong view. I am not going to add to this emotional rhetoric but I do want to explain a few things about the Global Auto Industry and the role of government and hopefully correct some mis- information.

ALL countries that have vehicle manufacturing subsidise the industry with either tariffs, co- investment or other means. Out of the 13 countries that build cars Australia was the least subsidised. It is also one of the most open and competitive markets due to low levels of protection and our high currency attracting lots of imports. You simply cannot attract the multinationals to build cars in your country without some form of co-investment or protection, why, because it is not a level playing field and other countries are dangling big carrots to attract that investment, that is the way of the business world.

The Australian Government was divided on their position to ongoing support, they had the facts, the timelines yet the rhetoric was mixed and at times very negative and even aggressive. There were many factors in GMs decision to pull the pin but you would be naive to think that the government behaviour was not a factor.

The flow on effects of having large scale manufacturing like automotive are large. It employs lots of people, it invests in R&D, it creates a chain of first, second and third tier suppliers who in turn employ lots of people. It attracts foreign investment. It trains and develops skills, supports educational institutions in fields such as engineering and design. I could go on and on. If you don't believe me then go and read the US treasuries report into the 2008/2009 bailout of GM and Chrysler. It ultimately cost the US taxpayer 10.5 billion and saved them 103 billion in lost taxation, unemployment benefits and food stamps and saved a minimum of 1.5 million jobs.

I hear lots of "Holdens are crap" and "nobody wants them" . Some facts... Commodore and Cruze are both top 5 sellers in a market of over 250 different models. People are buying them, yes not in the numbers they were 20 years ago but nobody is or ever will again, the market has changed dramatically.
VF Commodore has just won multiple awards from the Media and Automotive bodies around the country. They do not give these awards to "crap", it is a genuinely world class product. Holden workers should stand proud.

I hope the sector can survive as the ramifications to manufacturing in this country are huge. If we lose this industry we will regret it long term. In ten years time if I hear a "free tradeist" liberal politician bitching about the fact that we no longer make anything in this country you know what my reaction will be... How does F..Off sound!!!!

Bugger , I did say I would not get emotional.

kiteboy dave said..

Abbott: Jan 19, 2012: "Its very, very important very, very important that we keep a car industry in Australia."

Abbott: April 11, 2013: "...and yes where an Australian car can do the job, an Australian car should be purchased by the...Gov."

Tony Abbott Aug 21, 2013: "we have a good record when it comes to working with the car manufacturers to help them...to flourish

Abbott: Nov 8, 2013: "...we want the car industry to have a long-term, viable future in this country

And they called her Juliar.

But didn't :

Gillard : March 2012 : (word to the effect of) "With this $300m of tax payers cash we have secured Holden's future for the next 10 years"


I think that any politician can say what they believe to be true and be caught out by the market.

Exactly how much has Holden said it needs from the Government to stay ?

Holden : yesterday : "it is not government action or inaction that has resulted in this decision"



if the US, the EU, China and recently Japan artificially devalue their currencies it kind of makes it hard to make and export anything to any of them.


Iron ore, bauxite, coal and LNG leaving the Australian coast from the same port for somebody else to add value to and manufacture with, and all you get is the Libs and Labs arguing about free hand-outs to a car maker.


Australia needs to get smart. Youse really are a dumb country. Maybe Clive Palmer isn't quite as crazy as everyone thinks.


(edit : scrub that last thought, he is)

Industrialised Country? but what are we when we dont have industry?
Advanced economy? but what if it is 'too expensive' to do business?

Seems to me that we too easily lose track of the big picture. We are seeing it over and again, our mining, our industry, our environmental stances. Back to basics everyone, please think about sustainability for us and our future generations. The quick buck, the immediately useful foreign 'investment', the simple disposal of our waste, they may be the simple option for you, but what about the future. To rehash an old advertising slogan; 'Do The Right Thing'.

kiteboy dave said..


Abbott: Jan 19, 2012: "Its very, very important very, very important that we keep a car industry in Australia."

Abbott: April 11, 2013: "...and yes where an Australian car can do the job, an Australian car should be purchased by the...Gov."

Tony Abbott Aug 21, 2013: "we have a good record when it comes to working with the car manufacturers to help them...to flourish

Abbott: Nov 8, 2013: "...we want the car industry to have a long-term, viable future in this country

And they called her Juliar.

Maybe I'm reading things wrong, but which of those are lies? Are you suggesting that he did or should have ended those comments up with an "at any cost"? This is what you seem to be implying as that is what the core of this issue is - ie how much should the Australian taxpayer pay to keep an industry afloat.

I think it is ludicrous that anyone would suggest any Australian Government would have a policy of getting rid of or not supporting a large industry....well I am sure the opposition will say it.

I would agree the Government has not handled the media on this very well.

the govt subsidy just had to continue until the $AUD came down to allow them to compete more with other countries.

The Australian Govt (Abbott and Hockey) basically had the chance to subsidise the industry until the currency was better off. GM called the bluff and screwed over the australian industry.

GM in Australia failed to change with the market and times