Holden will be gone in 2017.

[CLUBRED]

Speculation or not, I certainly won't be rushing out to buy a brand with no security behind it. A locally made Ccommodore is the only car I'd consider from the brand, I will not consider rebadges of anything (except I did have a Toyota Lexen, LOL).

What angers me most is the brand has been treated wih such contempt by it's parent company, maybe we should take down GM aswell, can't be that hard. Who wants to start an angry FB page, "Boycott GM" haha.

[sjhugh]

Tony Abbott demands Holden makes decision on future, rules out any more funding


Date: December 6, 2013
Mark Kenny


Prime Minister Tony Abbott has demanded Holden decide if they want to stay in Australia or leave, saying they owe it to their workforce to make a decision, while ruling out any extra federal government assistance to the company.


Mr Abbott said he wanted Holden to stay in Australia and the motor industry to flourish.

''The message we are getting from Holden is that they are in two minds,'' Mr Abbott said on Fairfax Radio.

''I do wish Holden would clarify their intention because at the moment they have got everyone on tenterhooks.''

The Coalition took a policy to September's election that it would cut $500 million out of the Automotive Transformation Scheme, the main source of government funding to car makers in Australia.

He said it was the job of government to make business easier, ''not chase them down the road waving a blank cheque at them''.

''Ever since the first car rolled off the line in 1949 there have been pots and pots of money available to the car industry in this country,'' he said.

''We stand ready to make that support available.


''But there's not going to be any extra money over and above the generous support the taxpayers have been giving the motor industry for a long time.''

The Prime Minister hit the airwaves in the wake of leaks from senior ministers, reported by ABC on Thursday night, that Holden had already decided it would leave the country – regardless of what action or additional assistance Canberra offers up.

The car maker’s future had already been made in Detroit, headquarters of General Motors, Holden’s parent company, the ministers told the ABC.

Senior Liberals have been agitating for a re-think of car industry assistance, convinced that the billions thrown at the sector over decades badly spent.

Labor attacked the government, saying negotiations over Holden and Toyota staying in Australia had descended into chaos.

''Far from the calm and methodical Government Mr Abbott promised, we are seeing nothing more than division and dysfunction, with Australia’s automotive industry the latest victim,'' industry spokesman Kim Carr said.

''We understand that no decision has yet been made by GM Holden, however it is on a knife's edge.''

He said the government was now speculating about itself in the media, ''and revealing deep internal divisions in a desperate bid to find an alibi for its indolence''.

Senator Carr said there was a factional fight within the Liberal Party ''between those that want to abandon Australian workers and the Australian automotive industry, and those that understand how important this industry is to the future of Australia''.

Holden, which is beset by higher labour costs than other countries and a high Australian dollar, has asked for a decision on additional assistance from Canberra before Christmas.

However, the new Coalition government has given the Productivity Commission the task of providing advice in the first months of 2014.

A spokeswoman for Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane was quick to deny the reports of Holden’s exit.

''They haven’t made a decision about their future in Australia,'' spokeswoman Kylie Barron said. ''There is no change.''

A statement from Mr Macfarlane on Friday said it was up to Holden to decide if it wanted to continue manufacturing in Australia

The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union said that the unconfirmed reports would be deeply troubling for thousands of auto workers.

Paul Bastian, the union’s national secretary, said the government had failed to act, causing huge uncertainty over the car industry.

''There are too many jobs at risk, the Prime Minister has to step in,'' Mr Bastian said. ''If we lose it, we're looking at a $21 billion hole in the economy.''

And he said Holden had a responsibility to tell its workforce if the stories were true or not.

In a submission to the inquiry, Holden said a long-term Australian policy that was globally competitive was needed to keep its manufacturing alive in the country.

''Without public assistance, Holden's local manufacturing cannot compete globally,'' the submission said. Preliminary findings are expected to be released on December 20 with a final report due by March 31.

Holden has refused to either deny or confirm the reports, issuing a statement saying its discussions with government were continuing. It has refused to comment further.

Manufacturing Workers Union official John Camillo urged the car manufacturer to be frank with its Australian employees.

''Really these workers deserve to be told by the company if there's any truth in this or not . . . not through the media,'' he told SkyNews. ''We want to see Holden coming up to squash the speculations.''

It has long been known that the economic dries in the Liberal Party, including powerful economic ministers such as the Treasurer Joe Hockey, Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, and

Infrastructure Minister Jamie Briggs, favour withdrawing support on the grounds that the industry should sink or swim on its own merits.

Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane, however, remains actively involved, along with the premiers of Victoria and South Australia, Denis Napthine and Jay Weatherill respectively, in trying to find a way to keep the industry viable.

Along with the automotive components sector, it directly employs nearly 50,000 Australians.

But the industry has struggled in the past year.

In September Holden axed 400 workers from its assembly operations in Adelaide, along with about 100 from its Melbourne operations.

Toyota cut 100 jobs at its manufacturing facilities in Melbourne in October, in response to a drop in exports to the Middle East.

Australia’s other car maker, Ford, has already decided to end local manufacturing in 2016, yet has protected its market position.

That would leave Toyota as the only local manufacturer and almost certainly hasten its demise here as well.


with AAP


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politi...#ixzz2mdwWhqBN

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politi...205-2yu8i.html


.

[Toddler78]

Speculation or not, I certainly won't be rushing out to buy a brand with no security behind it..

And that there is the problem! all it takes is some chinese whispers and a slow news day and anyone can report anything, and it has a mass effect to destabilize a company. All this negative reporting has the effect you have mentioned above. I for one would love these reporters point to their source and then have that source put their hand up and provide the evidence on how they drew their conclusion. Im not saying its not going to happen but with GM sitting back watching this every second day and looking at their dwindling sales due to no consumer confidence in the longtivity of the brand then they may well turn around and make it true. Its the old saying which came first the chicken or the egg.

[Toddler78]

I think that the media over the last 10 years has been the catalyst for holden's and fords downfall, with all the negative reporting and constant speculation of plants closing or manufacturers in trouble and also all the HOON reporting and tarring every holden and ford driver with that brush. It is no longer cool to drive a holden or ford because you are a bogan or a hoon.

[csv rulz]

Have to agree. If the goverment don't bury Holden the media sure as Hell are having a massive crack at it.

[VXSS346]

I think that the media over the last 10 years has been the catalyst for holden's and fords downfall, with all the negative reporting and constant speculation of plants closing or manufacturers in trouble and also all the HOON reporting and tarring every holden and ford driver with that brush. It is no longer cool to drive a holden or ford because you are a bogan or a hoon.

Well said.

Plus the fact that more and more 'Aussies' every day, out of pure bad habbit, love to bag their own industry, as well as the 'sh*t for brains' politicians running this place over the years!!!!

[VYBerlinaV8]

It's been clear for at least a decade that Australians' motoring tastes are changing. How many SUVs, crossovers, 4WDs, etc do we see now compared to 10 years ago? What about dual cab utes? What about small and medium sized sedans?

Now, what has Ford and Holden offered in these categories?

Holden has the Captiva, Ford has the new Kuga (but for years had nothing). Are these products really as good as the Japanese competition? I don't think they are. What about dual-cabs? Holden has had re-badged Isuzu and Ford has had re-badged Mazda. Do people prefer re-badged or original? What about small sedans and wagons? Holden has the Cruze, which seems pretty good, but until recently was serving up pieces of crap like the Viva and that horrible mid-sized Korean thing who's name I can't remember. Even now they expect us to buy the Malibu, which is demonstrably inferior to similar products. Ford hasn't done much better. The focus was OK (but nothing special), the Mondeo OK (but again nothing special).

Companies like Ford and Holden make well-priced, well sorted, fast sedans at great prices. But the market has changed. And unfortunately our local manufacturers either haven't seen it coming, or haven't known what to do about it. And as a result, they are struggling. And they will continue to struggle until they either learn that lesson or die.

It's crying bloody shame, because I like fast, cheap sedans too, and our country needs manufacturing capability. But Holden and Ford need to get smarter, and I don't think that is going to happen while they are subsidiaries of American companies who struggle to understand their own market, let alone ours.

[Waughy]

Bugger, I was hoping to buy a new VF SS-V when my cruze lease runs out, but that's 12 months after this is supposedly happening. Guess I'll be looking second hand. I want to get back into a V8, and i want a Holden built one. Would be nice if this news is BS, but there's no denying GMH isn't in trouble.

[offshore]

I think GMH knows the commodore is a bloody good and I can see a situation where they close manufacturing here and then build the commodore over in the US and sell it there as the SS Chev but only left hand drive. So how bizarre will that be no commodore here but a commodore in the US.

[CLUBRED]

LOL, just learned my work has just been taken over by an American business - woo...

[offshore]

LOL, just learned my work has just been taken over by an American business - woo...

They probably tell you this. "Our people are our greatest asset" All US Multinationals usually give you that speech and then they'll have a bunch of layoffs!

[Goggles]

If an announcement was due this week, why postpone it?

[CLUBRED]

They probably tell you this. "Our people are our greatest asset" All US Multinationals usually give you that speech and then they'll have a bunch of layoffs!

Already had all that, the sickening thing now is all the share holders in the office cackling like chooks.

[Smitty]

.................

Companies like Ford and Holden make well-priced, well sorted, fast sedans at great prices. But the market has changed. And unfortunately our local manufacturers either haven't seen it coming, or haven't known what to do about it. And as a result, they are struggling. And they will continue to struggle until they either learn that lesson or die.

.

Curious that this has only happened in Oz. Go to Europe or UK or the US
and you just don't see the variety of cars we have here. No SUVs in the UK or Europe
and only american made Toyotas and Hondas in the USA. LOTS of Fords and Chevs though...

maybe something to do with the fact that the governments there have done something to protect vehicle manufacturing?
hmmmm....

[old holden V8]

It's been clear for at least a decade that Australians' motoring tastes are changing. How many SUVs, crossovers, 4WDs, etc do we see now compared to 10 years ago? What about dual cab utes? What about small and medium sized sedans?

Now, what has Ford and Holden offered in these categories?

Holden has the Captiva, Ford has the new Kuga (but for years had nothing). Are these products really as good as the Japanese competition? I don't think they are. What about dual-cabs? Holden has had re-badged Isuzu and Ford has had re-badged Mazda. Do people prefer re-badged or original? What about small sedans and wagons? Holden has the Cruze, which seems pretty good, but until recently was serving up pieces of crap like the Viva and that horrible mid-sized Korean thing who's name I can't remember. Even now they expect us to buy the Malibu, which is demonstrably inferior to similar products. Ford hasn't done much better. The focus was OK (but nothing special), the Mondeo OK (but again nothing special).

Companies like Ford and Holden make well-priced, well sorted, fast sedans at great prices. But the market has changed. And unfortunately our local manufacturers either haven't seen it coming, or haven't known what to do about it. And as a result, they are struggling. And they will continue to struggle until they either learn that lesson or die.

It's crying bloody shame, because I like fast, cheap sedans too, and our country needs manufacturing capability. But Holden and Ford need to get smarter, and I don't think that is going to happen while they are subsidiaries of American companies who struggle to understand their own market, let alone ours.

I agree with this 100%.

Also I think there is a lot of badges that the average Aussie aspires to buy and those that they will not.

Look around at your average after-school pickup. Lots of SUV's, lots of Euro/Korean badges, that I see nowadays. A few years back the average mum/dad pickled up Junior/Juniors in a big Falcon or Holden Wagon - and carted the whole mess home safely & in comfort. Now they would'nt be seen dead in one. I think even if Holden/Ford gave the market what they wanted, they still would buy other brands because of perceived better 'status', value or performance.

It's very very sad day for Australian Manufacturing if this is indeed true.