GMH needs funding to stay in OZ

[Rufys]

This is stupid. If car manufacturing isn't sustainable in Australia then we should let it go, and NOT pump hundreds of millions of dollars of tax payers money into it! The products from overseas are (for the most part) better quality, more fuel efficient, cheaper and better looking. If that weren't the case, there wouldn't be a problem.

If people don't want local brands to disappear, then they should stop buying foreign brands - which is hard considering for almost everything you can find much better value for money overseas. That goes for everything. Globalisation is the way of the future - be competitive with your products, or shut up shop!

 

[ozrockracing]

You are forgetting the amount of extra unemployment caused by closing the Aussie Plant, and the onflow effect, from the plant workers, sales, and so on. I would rather see the Govt plough money into keeping the plant here than paying it out in Dole Money.

There is of course another option...Aussie workers could take less money per week like our chinese counterparts and that would keep GMH sustainable...but I am pretty sure not too many aussie workers are gonna put their hand up for a drastic paycut.

The only way for many Aussie Companies to remain competitive is get the workers to do exactly that..work....add up the countless hours Aussie workers get paid to read their emails, forums, online shopping, talk to friends on company time, and generally abuse every prevelidge under the sun on the bosses dollar and then you will see where our competitive edge has gone.

Then take a peek at some of the overseas manufacturing plants, where the workers cant even take a pee break, do not look sideways at each other and are housed on site in little more than back packer styled dorms, and take home less then $100 per month....not a typo...$100 per month, when we are ready to accept those type of conditions we will be once again competitive, until then, we need to work more, take less, and BUY AUSTRALIAN !!!

Just my 2 cents....

 

[Reaper]

This is stupid. If car manufacturing isn't sustainable in Australia then we should let it go, and NOT pump hundreds of millions of dollars of tax payers money into it! The products from overseas are (for the most part) better quality, more fuel efficient, cheaper and better looking. If that weren't the case, there wouldn't be a problem.

If people don't want local brands to disappear, then they should stop buying foreign brands - which is hard considering for almost everything you can find much better value for money overseas. That goes for everything. Globalisation is the way of the future - be competitive with your products, or shut up shop!

And how do you deal with the 65,000 directly employed making cars in Australia by GM, Ford and Toyota, let alone the 250,000 others employed in the T1 suppliers. Not to mention the other non direct jobs which also would be lost??

Whilst I don't agree with your better quality, more fuel efficient, cheaper and better looking argument either, it's a subject for another thread. This is one area where government involvement protecting and investing in Australian jobs is vital. Looking at the world, history shows that those countries with strong and growing manufacturing bases have thrived whilst the others at best have been cyclical at best. NA manufacturing has been in decline for decades and along with several other systemic problems, USA has a huge job ahead of themselves to get out of their mess. Europe is much the same. Australia have been very lucky the resources boom has to a large extent saved us but now is exactly the time to keep manufacturing here and to attempt to grow it whilst our competitors are in a weakened position.

The estimates are that USA government subsidises it's car industry by approx $250 per car. Korea similar along with Japan. Thailand is a little less. Australia contributes around $25 per unit. This combined with our lower (or non existent for 4wd vehicles) tariffs has overall lowered the price of cars for consumers in Australia in real terms over the last 25 years substantially. Save several thousand dollars value on each and every car sold in Australia and contribute a pittance for local jobs seems a reasonably fair trade off to me.

I'd even suggest a tax of $500 (or whatever the cost of the carbon tax content of a car is) for every imported car produced in a country that doesn't have an equivalent (in dollar terms) carbon tax to what is being levied in Australia and push that into local car and allied manufacturing. Yeah we have a completely daft and stupid tax but lets at least try to make something positive for Australia from it.

Reaper

 

[Rufys]

And how do you deal with the 65,000 directly employed making cars in Australia by GM, Ford and Toyota, let alone the 250,000 others employed in the T1 suppliers. Not to mention the other non direct jobs which also would be lost??

Why do I have to deal with them? Why does anyone? There's plenty of work if you're willing to work - even if it's something you don't find ideal. Hell, I spent 6 months digging holes for a fencer when I was out of a job once. There is no excuse (other than disability) for not working if you want to work.

Manufacturing in Australia is quite simply an industry that can't compete with cheap overseas labour.

I am pretty sure not too many aussie workers are gonna put their hand up for a drastic paycut.

That's one of the biggest problems in Australia. So many people are overpaid!

 

[BowTie]

Corporate bastards in suits have found a way to legally blackmail governments and taxpayers. Awesome.



I love holden. It's just a shame that the people at the very top are such worthless pathetic oxygen thiefs.


Is GM owned by zionists? It smells like it.

 

[Reaper]

Why do I have to deal with them? Why does anyone? There's plenty of work if you're willing to work - even if it's something you don't find ideal. Hell, I spent 6 months digging holes for a fencer when I was out of a job once. There is no excuse (other than disability) for not working if you want to work.

Either way government would have to deal with several hundred thousand people becoming unemployed. You don't think it's one role of government to help with employment where possible.

Manufacturing in Australia is quite simply an industry that can't compete with cheap overseas labour.

There is more than cheap labour when considering manufacturing viability here.

That's one of the biggest problems in Australia. So many people are overpaid!

Such as?? And what should they be paid??

Corporate bastards in suits have found a way to legally blackmail governments and taxpayers. Awesome.

WTF??? You do know that Holden going back to the original 48/215 in 1948 has been a partnership between GM and various governments of both persuasions ever since?

I love holden. It's just a shame that the people at the very top are such worthless pathetic oxygen thiefs.


Is GM owned by zionists? It smells like it.

You clearly have no idea what so ever how auto manufacturing works.

Reaper

 

[Rufys]

You don't think it's one role of government to help with employment where possible.

Absolutely not!

Such as?? And what should they be paid??

One prime example that springs to mind is earning close to $100,000 a year (total package) to be a QANTAS baggage handler. That's a $50,000 a year job AT MOST!!! Unskilled jobs should be paid a WHOLE lot less. Watching robots and using a screwdriver or a spanner, or basically working on a life size lego production line should also earn a lot less than it does.

 

[Reaper]

Absolutely not!

Then I'm very glad you aren't running the country. Like it or not, govco policy in a range of areas has a huge impact on attracting business to set up any number of industries in Australia or else where in the world. For government to set and implement policy without regard for business and the flow on effect of providing jobs for its citizens is just crazy.

One prime example that springs to mind is earning close to $100,000 a year (total package) to be a QANTAS baggage handler. That's a $50,000 a year job AT MOST!!! Unskilled jobs should be paid a WHOLE lot less. Watching robots and using a screwdriver or a spanner, or basically working on a life size lego production line should also earn a lot less than it does.

How would you suggest the country lower wages as a country??

Reaper

 

[Rufys]

Then I'm very glad you aren't running the country. Like it or not, govco policy in a range of areas has a huge impact on attracting business to set up any number of industries in Australia or else where in the world. For government to set and implement policy without regard for business and the flow on effect of providing jobs for its citizens is just crazy.

There's a MASSIVE difference between artificially propping up a flailing industry by throwing stupid amounts of tax payer's dollars at it, and government policy as it relates to and impacts business. So stop taking what I said out of context. An industry should NOT exist solely on the reliance of government support.

How would you suggest the country lower wages as a country??

Errrr... Pay people with no skills in **** kicker jobs LESS!

 

[doms1]

Absolutely not!



One prime example that springs to mind is earning close to $100,000 a year (total package) to be a QANTAS baggage handler. That's a $50,000 a year job AT MOST!!! Unskilled jobs should be paid a WHOLE lot less. Watching robots and using a screwdriver or a spanner, or basically working on a life size lego production line should also earn a lot less than it does.

More like $70 to $80 WITH penalties for weekends ,public holidays ,early starts .