Keep Holden

[wbute]

Perfect storm my $&se. Businesses have faced the same issues since Adam was a boy. GM chose the moment to pull out that suited it!

[Taily]

Perfect storm my $&se. Businesses have faced the same issues since Adam was a boy. GM chose the moment to pull out that suited it!

That maybe so, especially when viewed with the rising cost of sourcing locally produced componentry after Ford bailed due to the local supplier economies of scale in their own operations? So tell us James why then did all three car makers pull the pin almost simultaneously? When "Adam" was around there was no FTA's in place stop import tariffs and trade barriers protecting our primary industry, so yeah things were much much better then and there was strong growth in jobs and the economy.

The perfect storm I was referring to was the fact that as our economy weathered the GFC quite well so it became an attractive dumping ground for cheap to produce vehicle manufacturers all clamouring for the high (in relation to the $US)Australian dollar. That in itself didn't kill our industry, but add to that import restrictions reduced to nothing over time, strongly subsidised (by their own governments) imports, a high standard of living (strewth, look at the real cost of housing where the work is...) placing upward pressure upon wages and what else do you need? This situation took a couple of decades to produce but each contributing factor brought the inevitable (without government assistance) closer.

We seem to be heading back towards a situation we were in after the Depression and before WW2, that is we import most things. If you have a look at other economies that have emerged stronger than ever asfter the GFC (such as Germany) you'll note that they, for the most part during the depths of the GFC built underlying strength into their currencies by reducing very high wages, keeping employment levels stable and preparing for when the rest of the world kicked off again. Watch that space as far as manufacturing goes...

Time Magazine article - Old World Tiger, How Germany Became the China of Europe Well worth a read as to what could have really been achieved here in Australia if we had a government with enough vision and old fashioned intestinal fortitude to see it through.

How Germany can save the Euro

Disagree all you like. There are other contributing factors to it all for sure, but they were the main ingredients that caused the scenario I put forward.

Australian Disease has entered the terminal phase - ABC News

[Cocko750]

Bought my first brand new car in 06 ve ss still got it not worth trading so my boy will get it when he has a full licence, had a demo vy sv8 before that ,also have a 97 diesel rodeo then comes a long line of projects , a hx sedan on a rotisserie , a hz tonner in panel shop and a line up of qs to wb and a few fb/ ek utes and a van also a few rodeos for parts it's starting to need a few lol