Holden closure

[PepeLePew]

Originally Posted by Rodge

I am sad for all Australians and Kiwi's today. We are losing the iconic Australian large car forever. For the life of me I cannot understand why all parties couldn't have taken a more pragmatic approach to protecting and neuturing what could have been a viable industry for many years to come.

Rodge while I understand it was a typo and subject to a speed read misread, it is unfortunately true that there has been insufficient protection and too much neutering....

It is a sad time with a big chunk of Australian culture and history being left behind......the whole Holden/Ford thing is so ingrained in many generations (though I'd question todays) by our fathers and our fathers fathers it's like ripping out a bit of that it means to be Australian to many....and thats nothing to do with Holden ads. Another sorry nail in our cultural coffin.

[Rodge]

Originally Posted by PepeLePew

Rodge while I understand it was a typo and subject to a speed read misread, it is unfortunately true that there has been insufficient protection and too much neutering....

Well spotted typo mate. Many Kiwi's like myself who've been huge supporters of Australian made cars and grown up around them will / are feeling the loss too, I can assure you.

[jcxr]

Look at it in another way, its another Ford win,they get to shut down 1st.

[Mighty Reds]

I'm sure the media will be gathered out the front of one of the Holden's plants, it will be interesting to see how many of the workers actually drive one of the products they have produced.

[The Snout]

Start pulling down the Holden signage and stick up the Chevrolet badges. I wonder if this leads to GM deciding to abandon the Holden name we'll have bogans pulling the Chevy bowtie off their cars and replacing them with the Lion.

In regard to the decision today, it's hardly a surprise. You can't just build to sell a few cars to the locals. Interesting times.

[dddd]

Originally Posted by au2000

from GM's press release..

GM Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson. “The decision to end manufacturing in Australia reflects the perfect storm of negative influences the automotive industry faces in the country, including the sustained strength of the Australian dollar, high cost of production, small domestic market and arguably the most competitive and fragmented auto market in the world.”

i see 4 reasons there... not just based on fed government handouts & anyone who thinks that the fed gov stance of late is the only reason they are kidding themselves. no matter how its come about, its a shame.

Most of the reasons given have nothing to do with government decisions
EXCEPT ONE, "cost of manufacturing".

When Rudd and Gillard got in and changed all the workplace regulations,(basically handing power to the unions), yes we all got better pay and conditions because of this change, but does anyone believe this change helped make Australian industries more competitive or less.

Secondly, their renewable/green energy campaign combined with the Carbon Tax has sent our electricity costs to one of the dearest in the world. Note that just seven years ago we had the second cheapest electricity costs in the world. Does anyone believe that could have possibly helped or hindered our manufacturing industry competitiveness?

However, of course these simple facts will not stop the one-eyed loony left-wingers from blaming absolutely everything on Abbott, after all the alternative would be to act like an adult and admit that their beloved labor/unions helped destroy the whole situation.

Just watch the unions now destroy any hope of Toyota remaining competitive in Australia.

[stazza]

Unions or not, Ford, Holden and Toyota would still have gone. STFU with the union blaming already if you haven't worked in the industry.

[johnydep]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

Not 100% correct. The Button plan was introduced before Holden got into financial trouble. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Button_car_plan.

The Button plan initially worked and in the 1990s the local industry was going great. However NONE of the political parties would revisit it when it was required to determine if it needed any tinkering. The Button plan was released in 1984 and NOBODY back then could have seen the collapse of communism, the increase in global trading and the rise of China and other low cost countries. The Howard government should have revisited the Button plan in the late 1990s or early 2000s but did not do so and this is the inevitable result.

Holden was in financial trouble when they dropped the ute and concentrated on the Commodore and Camira. Both new models sold well for a few years - early 80's. The initial sales success of the VB Commodore waned once fuel prices stabilzed, and customers realised that they wanted a big Aussie car - Ford Falcon ruled because of it's size, the Commodore could not match it.

Holden tried selling 4 cylinder engines to Toyota. They then used Nissan engines in the VL, when they found they could not produce an Unleaded engine economically. This and more while they struggled to produce a profit

The VK brought back some success but it still lagged in the doldrums. It wasn't until the VN that Holden found it's legs - the end of the 80's.

he Button car plan, also known as the Button plan was the informal name given to the Motor Industry Development Plan.... with a proposed start date of 1985.

The most obvious effect of the plan for the Australian car buyer was the appearance of badge engineered vehicles....The plan was an Australian federal Labour government initiative, intended to rationalise the Australian motor vehicle industry and transition it to lower levels of protection. Holden initially teamed up with Nissan in 1984..

Ford Corsair (Nissan Pintara) from 1989.

Holden Apollo (Toyota Camry) from 1989.

Holden Nova (Toyota Corolla) from 1994.

Toyota Lexcen (Holden VS Commodore) from 1995.

Nissan Ute (Ford XF Falcon) from 1989

[747jet]

See you. Don't let the door hit you on the way out!!!

[Nikked]

Dear Australia.


Merry Christmas.


From General Motors.

[Pepscobra]

This is sad.
I feel as bad now as I did when I heard the Ford announcement.

[Struggo]

Sad day indeed for Australia :-(

[1TUFFUTE]

If I'm not mistaken GM already was going to pass the judgement on Holden over a month ago now, Officially. Closing it and consolidating losses into Holden as it folds. Then they were givn one more chance as they asked for time negotiating with our govco for more money. There was something else big involved too but I forget.....

It's all a rather big joke now."it's hard to imagine GM committing 1 billion to continue here when there's zero chance of them getting the money they need to cut even...or make small profits at best. They said even if they got the hundreds of millions a year for ten years they were after....they still wouldn't be a 'success'

[uranium_death]

Originally Posted by Mighty Reds

I'm sure the media will be gathered out the front of one of the Holden's plants, it will be interesting to see how many of the workers actually drive one of the products they have produced.

I actually think it would be quite high - a mate of mine works for Holden and gets some fine deals on vehicles. Upgrades often. Many of his colleagues got great deals on SS Commodores. Mate was happy with an SV6.

If I worked for Ford or Holden, I'd gladly drive their products around. They're great products for the price - but value perhaps no longer holds any importance - there's massive Chinese investment in Australia. In my suburb especially, ridiculous prices paid for average properties. Rocking up are the new owners in their Cayenne, Audi, Merc or BMW, almost without fail.

I still stand by the Australian product, and think it's been completely under-appreciated by the general populace of late.

[Pepscobra]

This statement really stood out for me:

Professor Goran Roos, from the University of Adelaide, said the situation was grim for Holden employees. "Workers will find a lower paid job with poorer working conditions," he said. "Many will not find work at all."

I don't want to start an argument on this now, but when the unions were in discussions with Holden on ways to try to save the situation, everyone voted not to make any changes or sacrifices... and now, they'll have no choice.

[Mighty Reds]

Sadly the falcon and commodore aren't aspirational vehicles anymore.
I blame you 'Toorak Tractor'.

[1TUFFUTE]

Originally Posted by Mighty Reds

Sadly the falcon and commodore aren't aspirational vehicles anymore.
I blame you 'Toorak Tractor'.

Maybe too the masses...but they don't know about them. I aspired to a G6ET. Best comfort/performance car south of 100k probably in the world...not just Australia. I have mates who now know and understand this....but they are happy spending a large chunk of their lives driving depressing imports. I smile everytime I drive.....they probably cringe at driving around. I'll drive any chance I get. They will only drive out of absolute necessity.
Go the Aussie FALCON

[Struggo]

The fault lies solely with successive Australian Governments, both sides!

Those fools have methodically reduced protection and tariffs on the imports, all in the pursuit of their flawed holy grail of "Free Trade Agreements".

[dragons90]

I'm pretty sure they did freeze pay increases.

[Syndrome]

Originally Posted by Struggo

The fault lies solely with successive Australian Governments, both sides!

Those fools have methodically reduced protection and tariffs on the imports, all in the pursuit of their flawed holy grail of "Free Trade Agreements".

Amen.

[nstg8a]

Originally Posted by 1TUFFUTE

Maybe too the masses...but they don't know about them. I aspired to a G6ET. Best comfort/performance car south of 100k probably in the world...not just Australia. I have mates who now know and understand this....but they are happy spending a large chunk of their lives driving depressing imports. I smile everytime I drive.....they probably cringe at driving around. I'll drive any chance I get. They will only drive out of absolute necessity.
Go the Aussie FALCON

See now thats the outlook of someone that obviously hasn't experienced the right imports...

The local heroes, ie falcon and commodore, are awesome but theyre dinosaurs, fossils of a marketplace thats moved on.

[Road_Warrior]

Far out. I'm almost as gutted as I was when Ford made its announcement.

And so the march of industry out of Australia continues.

[Trump]

A very sad day indeed for the nation. This is the straw that will break the camels back.

We're screwed.

[ltd]

Originally Posted by nstg8a

See now thats the outlook of someone that obviously hasn't experienced the right imports...

The local heroes, ie falcon and commodore, are awesome but theyre dinosaurs, fossils of a marketplace thats moved on.

I don't know man, I too bought a G6E-T and it's an absolute riot.
I've owned some of the Europeans and whilst they can be a hoot, you have to spend big bucks to get anything near the performance. Then, with so much money tied up in it you can't drive it with scant regard as you know the repair bills are massive.
Trust me, the G6E-T is a riot and it is one tough sumbitch that can take heaps more abuse than any import.

By the same token, if we were in Germany then the BMW and Mercs would be the equivalent and like our beloved fords, the parts too are cheap.
Bang for buck, nothing and I mean nothing beats a G6E-T for the fun and enjoyability factor.

[kypez]

Originally Posted by Pepscobra

This statement really stood out for me:



I don't want to start an argument on this now, but when the unions were in discussions with Holden on ways to try to save the situation, everyone voted not to make any changes or sacrifices... and now, they'll have no choice.

I've argued the same point as well. The cost of labour here is crazy. Maybe a pay cut would have helped them. Some income is better than no income. This is what I don't understand with the Unions, don't they get that if they keep making demands, they will price themselves out of the market?! There is a saying, "Ask for too much and you'll get nothing and lose what you already had".

I really feel for all the people at Holden and their families. Tough few years ahead of us as a nation as we move from what we've done for so long.

[Romulus]

Blame the dealers with their exorbitant mark up etc to fund their showrooms, staff, Xmas functions and so on. Someone pays for the extras....

What would be the cost of a Falcon or Commodore if bought over the internet and sent direct to your place instead of a stealer?

Sad day indeed. Like many I believe Toyota will be the next to go.

[blueoval]

all finger pointing aside, this is devastating news for the state as well as all other manufacturing jobs who rely on GMH for on going work.

[superfly]

Surely this would mean Toyota will have to follow. The car industry functioned with 3 manufacturers but if they're only supplying to one manufacturer, prices will surely go through the roof! Unless Toyota can get a massive exporting business to happen.

[EBII Fairmont]

Originally Posted by cheap

Oh that's right the coalition that's been in power for 3 months, having inherited a friggin mess of an economy from the previous demigods - it's the coalitions fault.

ALP's CO2 tax, that helped, or ALP's changes to FBT/car leasing, that obviously helped GMH and boosted sales of Aussie cars?

Add the unions along with the ALP, partners in crime playing politics, now stalling the repeal of the CO2 tax in the senate, they're hell bent on causing as much trouble as possible - but it's all the coalitions fault.

Add the blatant anti-Abbott news led by Fairfax and ABC (both leftie mouth pieces), their rubbish is now wholesale gospel - everything is the coalitions fault.

Add GMH, who play the politics very well and milk the taxpayer for as much as possible.

But go on and believe what you want...

Sorry but last time I checked before the election, there were campaigns run in the Murdoch papers blatantly saying to get rid of Labor. Abbott is still harping on about Labor rather than getting on with the job. Unfortunately Australian politics are about who is the bigger bully and not what is in our best interest!

The unions are at fault for everything right? Well if there were no unions who would negotiate wage rises? O r would everyone just sit back on a 1970's wage while council rates, electricity, petrol, water and the list goes on keep rising. So then we are all living on a week by week basis while the rich keep getting richer.

The situation is simple. The government stopped purchasing Aussie made cars a number of years back. That is a big hit to the local auto industry. The so called free trade agreement ruined it also allowing cheap korean cars to flood the market. On the other hand Detroit have wanted to get out of Australian manufacturing as it is too expensive and they don't sell the cars elsewhere. But why has it become so expensive? An easy reason is all the utility industries were sold off and now each individual company is screwing us all out of our money. Wages are not the only reason why the car industry is seeing it's death!

[Joe5619]

What a sad day. Who would have thought 20 old years ago they'd be a day without Falcons & commodores in Australia!!! What the hell went so wong??