HOLDEN has found new hope from an unlikely source. The Coalition Government

[Kieron]

The article says it's flying wheels in from the US and GM source it's wheels from Taiwan/China though Bent8.

Are the wheels in question actually from the GM parts bin or are they specifically designed for the upmarket Commodore?

Agreed though, the issue is getting the wheels on the cars in time. No point in workers building the cars and have then sitting around on dummy wheels waiting for a retro fit which would have cost Holden $$'s, quite likely around the same price as airfreight.

[BHDOGS]

Why dont they just have them straight from china if thats where there built. Why go to america first then here.

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by BHDOGS

Why dont they just have them straight from china if thats where there built. Why go to america first then here.

I think its the alumimum wheels for the Redline which are from the US, I think they are just trying to clear a backlog, if you order a Redline today and it needs to be built you wont get it till 2014.

[Hulsty]

Originally Posted by GT-0733

i'm still trying to get my head around the fact that a private company relies on tax payer funding to manufacture a product to make profit.
i'm sure there are quite a few manufacturing companies out there that would love this luxury.

There are plenty of companies that get government funding. The government is not stupid, they are not giving away money for nothing. They get more than they invest back in revenue. When/if all these companies leave Australia and all the job losses hit there will be a drop in government revenue, whats going to happen then? There will be heaps of unemployed people and a drop in revenue coming in to help them out? We will be right royally screwed.

Doesnt help the government has no balls in regard to all the FTA that are at our disadvantage and local content in the manufacturing. But I guess most of it is consumer driven, wanting high and higher wages and to pay less and less for everything.

[stazza]

Originally Posted by Hulsty

The government is not stupid, they are not giving away money for nothing

Doesnt help the government has no balls in regard to all the FTA that are at our disadvantage and local content in the manufacturing

Ummm... what? The government is not stupid?

[burnz]

Originally Posted by robertjp

Hey guys wasn't the FTA with Thailand signed by Howard?

yep and abbot is going to hurt more, 12 countrys more.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nati...-1226727167710

[jpblue1000]

Originally Posted by stazza

Ummm... what? The government is not stupid?

Stazza, did you stand for election, Did you vote?
Irrespective of what we think I'm pretty sure running a country, balancing all the competing and ever changing demands, pleaseing most of the people some of the time and doing what their world view dictates is the right thing is not an easy task. Im pretty sure the 'average punter' couldn't do it, despite what they write on the internet.

JP

[BlueOvalPrint]

Originally Posted by burnz

yep and abbot is going to hurt more, 12 countrys more.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nati...-1226727167710

Mr Robb said..."We will accelerate and work most assiduously in the next 12 months to fast track the China, Japan and Korea free trade agreements.

If you think Holden and Toyota will continue to make cars here post-2016 instead of getting them even cheaper from their overseas plants, or that the Australian public will turn their backs on an even cheaper Kia / Mazda /Great Wall for the sake of Aussie manufacturing, you're dreaming.

Well, that's it - the final nail (it and the hammer to drive it in are probably made in China too) for Aussie carmaking.

[csv8]

Why aren't Fiesta, Focus, Ranger , cheaper when made overseas, tariff free????? Ford making more of a profit????

[stazza]

Originally Posted by jpblue1000

Stazza, did you stand for election, Did you vote?
Irrespective of what we think I'm pretty sure running a country, balancing all the competing and ever changing demands, pleaseing most of the people some of the time and doing what their world view dictates is the right thing is not an easy task. Im pretty sure the 'average punter' couldn't do it, despite what they write on the internet.

JP

So because someone is in parliament they must automatically be smarter than the "average punter"? That's insulting. Depending on their credentials, intellectually smart maybe. Have you heard Abbott speak publicly? It's embarrassing. He can't string a sentence together without pausing 57 times or completely changing direction. His party as a whole isn't exactly inspiring to listen to. How can you expect this douche to make conscious educated decisions? He is stupid.

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by stazza

So because someone is in parliament they must automatically be smarter than the "average punter"? That's insulting. Depending on their credentials, intellectually smart maybe. Have you heard Abbott speak publicly? It's embarrassing. He can't string a sentence together without pausing 57 times or completely changing direction. His party as a whole isn't exactly inspiring to listen to. How can you expect this douche to make conscious educated decisions? He is stupid.

Abbott has nothing on this bloke..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a6HjseuRxw

[pottery beige]

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/busine...-1226728817182

[Rodge]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/busine...-1226728817182

Thanks. Its intersting to note Holden are under intense pressure to export and curious that notwithstanding huge price cuts by Holden on the VF prices in Austrailia, prices in N.Z. remain unchanged from the VE ...this against a backdrop of the most favourable exchange rate for Holden N.Z. in many years. Who's yanking Kiwi's chain, Holden Australia or Holden N.Z. ?

[Jason[98.EL]]

this is interesting to say the least

On Friday Mr Macfarlane revealed he will demand Holden export at least 30 per cent of its local production — almost double its current rate of 17 per cent — in return for any future taxpayer assistance.

Mr Macfarlane also said any future payments would be final “in capital letters, in black, six feet high” and Holden would not be able to come back for more.

I think that on its own spells the end for GM/Holden manufacturing here in aus

[Bossxr8]

So they need to rely on GM for more export markets. Can't see that happening.

[csv8]

McFarlane has ordered a VF Calais as his Ministerial car...
http://www.couriermail.com.au/busine...-1226728817182

[prydey]

do people really think that Ford Australia and Holden choose when and where they will export their cars to???

Toyota admit they lose money on every car they ship offshore, but it is negated by the sheer volume of imports they sell. clearly, exporting out of australia just isn't viable, and yet these 'experts' keep going on like is some sort of choice that they don't export more cars.

[NAK302]

is there a list of government funded (tax payer funded) private companies who manufacture for profit?
i don't buy the "heaps of unemployed" argument. the turn over of low skilled labour would be quite high anyway.

[prydey]

i've never really cared to much about the whole 'taxpayer funded' thing either. its a phrase used simply to arouse emotions, nothing more. its not like anyone gets a say as to how their tax gets spent. everyone has to pay tax. its not like if they stop handing out funding, that the amount of tax we pay will be affected!!

its pretty obvious the govt spends more money than they rake in anyway, so technically they aren't spending taxpayer money on everything. some things they are just plain spending money they don't have.

some industries require govt assistance. its that simple. auto industries the world over get assistance from their respective govt's, whether that be in the form of direct finance, or in the form of tariffs or actually buying the products.

the sooner people accept these facts the better it will be.

having said all that, it is also increasingly clear that manufacturers can't afford to make orphan models anymore.

[mik]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

Abbott has nothing on this bloke..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a6HjseuRxw

lol !

[Syndrome]

All over the news today.

[bigwil]

I still cant see Holden closing down, something will come up and get them out of the crap.

[jpd80]

LINK
The Coalition went into the federal election with a policy of chopping $500 million from
motor industry assistance – a move that caused Holden and its General Motors parent
to rethink its proposal to invest $1 billion in two new models – a replacement for the
current Cruze and the new ‘VJ’ Commodore – to be built in Australia from about 2016.

Mr Macfarlane warned that the parties involved in the talks would have only one shot to find a solution.

He said that solution would require bipartisan political co-operation, without which he
would “shut the door from the other side and go and deal with those other parts of
my portfolio until I think it is time to start again on motor cars”.

“Obviously, we don’t have that sort of time, so I am hoping everyone plays the game,” he said.

Mr Macfarlane described Holden’s requirement for more government assistance
as “one hell of a challenge, requiring one hell of a solution”.

According to some unconfirmed reports, Holden is seeking up to an extra $500 million
to secure its local manufacturing to 2022.

Before heading behind closed doors to begin private meetings with Mr Devereux
and Mr Weatherill today, Mr Macfarlane said the various parties involved in the talks
were “at the same point”.

“We just have to meet in the middle,” he said.

On the eve of today’s Holden event, Mr Macfarlane had a private meeting at an Adelaide
restaurant with Mr Weatherill for an exchange of views on Holden’s situation.

“We had a chat for a couple of hours and I said, ‘this isn’t just cars and bolts and tyres
and V8s and stuff going fast’,” Mr Macfarlane said. “This is about the technology,
the innovation, the passion, the whole lot that goes into a modern car built in Australia.

“I want to use the full breadth of my portfolios – I want to use the science, I want to use
the innovation, I want to use the collaboration – I am going to have centres of excellence,
and I have to talk to cabinet about how to do that.

“One of those (centres of excellence) will be advanced manufacturing.”

Mr Weathrill said today he was pleased with the way Mr Macfarlane was approaching the issue.

“I think it gives us every opportunity to come to an agreement,” he said.

“We are about to go upstairs and have a significant meeting, the three of us together,
and then there is obviously a lot of work to be done.”

[Bossxr8]

Another $500 million on top of the hundreds of millions they have already got. That is just insane. I'm all for some government assistance but where do you draw the line.

The way it's going they may as well just ask the government to pay for the development of the new models, and not spend a cent on them themselves.

If the government has already said they are looking to cut funding where they can I cannot see how they will get another $500 million. Worrying times for Holden employees.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Another $500 million on top of the hundreds of millions they have already got. That is just insane. I'm all for some government assistance but where do you draw the line.

The way it's going they may as well just ask the government to pay for the development of the new models, and not spend a cent on them themselves.

If the government has already said they are looking to cut funding where they can I cannot see how they will get another $500 million. Worrying times for Holden employees.

Watch for the strategic "Bipartisan double back flip" where both sides of government
agree that Losing Holden is not an option, both sides agree it's best to give Holden the $500 million....

Meanwhile, a Ford CEO sits with a thundercloud above his head wondering what could have been..

[bobthebilda]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Watch for the strategic "Bipartisan double back flip" where both sides of government
agree that Losing Holden is not an option, both sides agree it's best to give Holden the $500 million....

Meanwhile, a Ford CEO sits with a thundercloud above his head wondering what could have been..

I get the impression that Mcfarlane is just playing the game. He has stated previously that he still has to get approval from the Treasurer (Joe Hockey) on any money that Holden gets, and they have now thrown in that they will await any findings of the productivity commission ( and lets face it, the exact reason why Holden needs the money is because they just arent productive on a world comparison).

Many, many get out clauses for the coalition government, and they are just hoping that the longer they hold out, the less likely GM are less likely to committ. Then the reason to stop production falls on GM shoulders, and not the government.

Lets not forget forget how much of a furphy all this is. Holden are committing to spend a Billion Dollars, and the government is (from last news stories),being asked for $500 million., and all to be spent by 2016 I couldnt even fathom how Holden could justify spending $1.5 billion on two cars that are world cars (developed elswhere), in a 2 year time frame. Some politcial parties could justify that naivity (stupidity), I dont think the coalition could.

[Franco Cozzo]

I wonder with how many millions of dollars the various Australian governments have given to Ford Australia and Holden, if they could have just purchased them both outright during the GFC?

[Bill M]

A thought provoking article regarding the extent of all subsidies from Govt...

http://theconversation.com/is-suppor...ed-lives-13386

[stazza]

$500 million to guarantee production til 2022? Bahaha yeah right. Their own pride is getting in the way.

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by stazza

$500 million to guarantee production til 2022? Bahaha yeah right. Their own pride is getting in the way.

its ok im feeling your pain.. now relax and have a bowl of icecream..