Christ, tonight is just gut-wrenching. They've already built the last ones.

[lmoengnr]

Its easy to see why there is no more local manufacturing.....

Just go to your local shopping center and play 'spot the aussie car'.
People are not buying enough of the local product.

 

[zero_tolerance]

I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would live to see this day, but alas, here we are.
It is a truly sad state of affairs and a national disgrace that things have been allowed to come to this. Australians should hang their heads in shame, we are a global laughing stock.
I feel privileged to have lived through the era of our great Aussie Holdens and am sincerely thankful to Holden and its employees for the fantastic products they have brought us over the years, but life will never be the same again as a little part of me has died today.

 

[commodore665]

it's going to be a sadder day for the workers on the line .

 

[VT&VX]

If the government had continued to pay the massive subsidies to GM, it would have been used to modernise the assembly line. (using old equipment from one of their other factories) Did we really need our government to pay for a factory of second hand robots?

(or like our government paying Mitsubishi where parts made in Australia and labour were invoiced from Japan at greatly inflated prices and killed the profitability of the Aussie operation)

 

[HSVBMW]

My drive past the factory this morning on the way to work was enough to bring tears rolling down my cheeks.....im gutted. The cars I've owned,the friends and family that worked there flashing through my head. My home town will never be the same and driving past to my work across the street will be awful from now on. I will go home and start my SV5000 this arvo in tribute and may drive down to the plant for some photos. This is just gut wrenching.

 

[woooo]

Last car is a red SS...

 

[VT&VX]

Who owns the factory and all the outdated equipment?
How much money did the state government put into that money pit?
Did they get a good return on that investment?

Some guy wanted to keep the factory open with government funding and clout, so he could continue building a z platform vehicle.

He wanted too much government money and clout so they said NO.

I wonder why governments don't just threaten to take over these unwanted factories and put out an expression of interest to see if anyone genuine wants to come in and do something with the skilled workforce on a profit sharing agreement.

Build mobile homes? not the luxury kind for recreation, but the basic kind for living and driving to a new location where the seasonal jobs are available.

 

[MYSS94]

Yeah - farewell old friend.
Collectively, we are the custodians for this part of Holden's history now.

 

[mpower]

Who owns the factory and all the outdated equipment?
How much money did the state government put into that money pit?
Did they get a good return on that investment?

Some guy wanted to keep the factory open with government funding and clout, so he could continue building a z platform vehicle.

He wanted too much government money and clout so they said NO.

I wonder why governments don't just threaten to take over these unwanted factories and put out an expression of interest to see if anyone genuine wants to come in and do something with the skilled workforce on a profit sharing agreement.

Build mobile homes? not the luxury kind for recreation, but the basic kind for living and driving to a new location where the seasonal jobs are available.

what are you crapping on about - GM-H is like ANY other business that gets a govt subsidy, and they all do.

There's always one, this thread isn't for the what ifs and pointless off base speculation.

 

[426Cuda]

^^What a load of tripe. All of the govermments of the 12 or so other countires whom produce cars from start to finish, receive govt subsidies and other forms of protection through effective long term economic and other policy. A number of successive governments have created an unviable market. It's not just car manufacturing or manufacturing across the board, but other sectors and levels of production as well, whom continue to suffer due to poorly contrived policy. This is what has been and continues to push manufacturing and skilled labour and Aussie $ offshore. This country is hemorrhaging.