Holden snubs Canberra

**mckackie** · 11-12-2013, 10:39 PM

There has been a lot of bluster with the end of the locally built Holdens. As I posted earlier, we have priced ourselves out of the global labor market. Yes the factory workers enjoyed good wages and conditions(of which I envied while sloggin' away as a mechanic), yes their union was quite militant in the 70's and 80's…(Larry Pickering did a simple but clever cartoon in that regard)...certain UN agreements we signed under Whitlam didn't help,(designed to give developing nations a start) and then all the government departments created to "monitor" workers conditions etc(OH&S for example, who seem to come up with stupid new rules, to justify their existence), then all the other overheads involved with developing new models & factory up grades and maintenance, then govt. policies which actually helped dump imports on our markets(lowering of import tariffs under UN agreements & free trade), High dollar,etc etc etc. In the end, it was just an inevitable business decision made by the General's board. Scorning the current federal government just shows one's ignorance, because the reality is, there is just no more cash in the piggy bank!(thanks to kevin, jools and wayne)
If you travel to America, there are a lot of Chevs & Pontiacs cruising about that look suspiciously like commodores and cruises. Similar in the UK. We are just gonna have to get used to it.
In the meantime, cherish the the Holdens you own now, drive em with pride and do your best to preserve them for generations to come, and maybe (if we're lucky ) we just might see an Australian made car re-appear on our roads one day.

**HK1837** · 12-12-2013, 07:37 AM

I essentially agree. Whilst it is sad to lose jobs it is unfortunately difficult to go back from here. Unfortunately without Holden the whole house of cards will come down and hence Toyota will be not far behind as they will not be enough to support the supply industry that feeds all the bits that make up a car that are still made here.
The thing that I am more worried about than the loss of jobs, is the loss of the Country's inherent "memory", or in other words the knowledge/skills ingrained in people that make up the population that work for a big manufacuring Industry. I've seen it in the Hunter area after the Newcastle Steelworks closed in 1999. Everybody moved on, but people in my game (Electrical, but it applies across the board) that were trained there have a very well rounded Electrical experience and knowledge base. We are all getting older, many now retired and even gone and the last people trained like us were in the mid 90's. Traineeships/Apprenticeships and work experiences like BHP provided are all but finished, and as a result I see more and more how difficult it is to find savvy electrical people that don't have a "blinkers" on knowledge base. It isn't their fault, but a consequence of the loss of a major manufacturing industry with a very broad training experience ranging from design through to tight tolerance/QA production. In my world, where else would I get experience in 1920's DC dynamic lowering crane hoists, mercury arc rectifiers yet get to install and commission modern AC motor drives, and have 100 very experienced people around me to ask if I don't know the answer?
The loss of Holden to South Australia and Victoria will probably have a similar effect on the people in that area in 20 years time.
Just think about this, if the USA had to for some reason launch one of the remaining Apollo rockets quickly for whatever reason, I bet the knowledge to do it isn't there anymore. In 1o years time the knowledge base to get an Iowa class battleship going again quickly will be all but gone. There will be books and manuals but understanding the technology will be gone. I'm afraid that is what is happening to us all here once we lose our manufacturing base. We are all becoming good at digging holes and moving what we did up, but all we can do otherwise is consume!

**wbute** · 12-12-2013, 08:01 AM

I agree HK. Our skills are getting narrower all the time. Even a basic skill like pulling up a windmill is lost today. Let almond technical skills like yours.
Mining does train apprentices so at least it provides some skills.
Sadly a whole generation has happily sent all our manufacturing jobs to China because profit lines look better. Greed has put us in this situation. Not far sighted decision making as was shown by previous generations.

**Alien DNA** · 12-12-2013, 08:49 AM

@innuendo....I'm actually anti gov in general. I don't take sides, I pretty much loathe them all.

Yeah the future isn't so bright. Sorry I don't sound too optimistic

**sjc315** · 12-12-2013, 11:37 AM

The loss of jobs and an icon disappearing is a tragedy, no doubt but we are a victim of our own success and an abundance of cheap crap flooding in from elsewhere. On the brighter side though as a consumer Ford is bringing the Mustang into Australia, who knows what GM might come in with. I wouldn't mind a new Camaro.

**HK1837** · 12-12-2013, 01:37 PM

Camaro is coming as a HSV afaik

**mauser** · 13-12-2013, 12:04 AM

http://www.news.com.au/finance/busin...-1226781980761

I think the brand should truly die if that is what happens... rebadging the cars trying to tap into long lost sentiment is futile. No body is going to be fooled into believing its a Holden.

Mauser