New Car Manufacturing Plan For Australia On The Way - New Certification Office Opens

[Slick_Holden]

Originally Posted by mikmak

Just like anything, it needs to be managed correctly and those that are dissadvantaged are always going to be more vocal than those that not.

I haven't found a good deal for us yet.

[JoeT]

Ignore Us At Your Peril, GM Tells Oz Government

James Stanford
27 May 2008
www.goauto.com.au

GM Asia Pacific president Nick Reilly has warned the Australian federal government to ignore the local manufacturing industry at its peril.

Mr Reilly, who visited Holden’s headquarters in Melbourne last week to help formulate future model and production plans, said local manufacturing was at risk due to the soaring value of the Australian dollar that has slashed export profits.

He said the resources boom, which was the driving force behind the growth of the economy and the value of the Australian dollar, had also forced up wage costs which was putting more pressure of the local manufacturers.

On the eve of the review into the local automotive industry headed up by former Victorian premier Steve Bracks, Mr Reilly said Australia should not let its manufacturing industry die just because other parts of the economy were booming.

“The economy has done very well because of the boom in commodities and that has led to the strength in the Australian dollar which is fine, but it is going to affect manufacturing generally and Australia has to have an export component to its manufacturing whether it be cars or anything else,” he said.

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Holden's Submission To ACIS Review

CarPoint Editor
27 May 2008
www.goauto.com.au

Australia is a "high cost country" for vehicle manufacturing, says GM.

There are relatively few surprises in Holden's submission to the ACIS (Automotive Competitiveness and Investment Scheme) industry review.

The submission, released to the media last week, nominated the strength of the Australian dollar -- as much, if not more than tariffs -- as the principal issue affecting the competitiveness of local manufacturing. Not only does the value of the 'Aussie' potentially lead Holden's parent company to reconsider exports from the Elizabeth plant, but it also places hurdles in the path of attracting R&D efforts in Australia.

In the submission, Holden admits that the local market is increasingly diversified (or "fragmented" as it's explained in the executive summary) and this is detrimental to 'scale', meaning relative profitability of a locally-built product range limited to perhaps one market segment.

Holden is calling for wage restraint and effectively points the bone at the mining industry, an industry that has provided the impetus for the economy's recent growth -- but with unskilled labour frequently being paid massively more than the market could justify in a slower growing economy.

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[mikmak]

My aunt in WA earns more as a kitchen hand at a mine camp, than I do and I earn more than the national average.

[Slick_Holden]

I think GM needs to back away a little and let Holden run there own interest in Australia..

GM is starting to come over the top of Holden of late and try and run the show. You got to understand this, Holden might be owned by GM but in Australia it's not GM.
When GM comes over the top of Holden they have no feelings no attachments they don't really care basically.
Let Holden run themselves as it was these workers that made them the strong company GM loves so much today.
Don't make threats don't hold anyone to ransom, In the end GM will loose.

[JoeT]

PM Sets Out Vision For Car Industry

AAP
5 June 2008
www.smh.com.au

Fuel efficient and hybrid cars will be the centrepiece of a new plan for the Australian car industry, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says.

The industry is already under review, with an inquiry headed by former Victorian premier Steve Bracks.

Mr Rudd said it was time to confront the challenges of climate change and soaring oil prices, and the need to reduce fuel consumption.

The industry had reinvented itself before and it needed to do so again, he said.

"Two decades ago, the industry needed a plan to consolidate, increase its efficiency and lift its international competitiveness," Mr Rudd told Parliament in a ministerial statement marking World Environment Day.

"Today it needs a new plan to drive the development of next generation fuel efficient vehicles to help motorists' budgets and to help the environment.

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[mikmak]

It's odd the way that when Kevin Rudd was opposition leader, he didn't just rebuke everything put forward by the coalition (that was Beazleys form). Now that Brendan Nelson is wearing the hat, he just blurts out whatever can put a negative slant on any positive statements. Whilst Rudds statements have some substance, though nothing concrete or new, it is a step in the right direction, so being a negative nancy just makes him look like a nonce IMHO.

Oz still makes a reasonable fist of competitive manufacturing. Investing in innovation is a sound decision, regardless of its lack of knee jerk fuel excise cuts etc etc. which everyone with [only] half a brain seems to be crying for at the moment.

[Slick_Holden]

I'm no where near a liberal man, Voted Labor..

But i feel Nelson is being hung out to dry as some type of scape goat for a future take over, He either doesn't know this or knows it all, I fear he is just wasting his time as they will back stab him first chance.
They already can't agree on lunch libs/nats libs cant agree on much between themselves, Trying to almost make him look bad worse then he is.

His stunt today whilst a very good point on solar power panel rebates smelt so bad of stiff wooden statue in the way it was handled.
It felt and looked so fake whilst making a good point it came across looking bad.

[JoeT]

Carr Heads To US For Green Car Talks

AAP
11 June 2008
www.drive.com.au

Federal Industry Minister Kim Carr will meet major carmakers Ford and General Motors in the United States to discuss "green" plans for the car industry in Australia.

The trip to the US car making capital of Detroit follows Tuesday's announcement that the federal government would provide $35 million to Toyota to develop a new hybrid Camry at its Melbourne plant.

The funds are from the new Green Car Innovation Fund and Victoria is adding a further $35 million to the project.

Senator Carr flew out of Japan after Tuesday's announcement to meet leaders at Ford and GM to canvass opportunities for the Australian car manufacturing industry.

"This is an industry that's been under a bit of pressure," Senator Carr told reporters in Japan.

"The government wants to work with the industry in meeting the challenges of the future, and that means reducing the impact on people's wallets and reducing the impact on the environment."

Senator Carr said the impact of the car industry in Australia flowed on to other industries.

"I mean, building a skills base for automotive also means we have the skills capacity to build a fighter aircraft," he said.

[BLUEY]

all after the big guys come rollin in wattle they think of next, a dog combustion fuel speculater with extendable roll on shimoozall

[JoeT]

Industry Backs Garnaut Plan

David Hassall
8 July 2008
www.goauto.com.au

The local car industry has given its support to a proposal to introduce a carbon emissions trading scheme (ETS), even though it will add at least six cents a litre to the price of petrol and diesel.

Including fuel in the ETS was the most controversial – but nevertheless expected – aspect of the draft report on climate change handed down last Friday by government advisor and economist Professor Ross Garnaut.

The trading scheme – which the report recommends should be introduced as soon as 2010 – would also directly affect local manufacturing industries, putting further pressure on Australia’s three embattled car makers in an already difficult market environment.

However, the chief executive of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, Andrew McKeller, told GoAuto that the car industry “acknowledges the need for it to shoulder its share of the burden”.

GM Holden spokesman John Lindsay said it was too soon to say if the cost of emissions trading would affect car prices but that Holden supports the scheme.

“We are supportive of the view that ETS has to have as broad a coverage of greenhouse gases as possible since one tonne of CO2 has the same impact on the environment whatever its source,” said Mr Lindsay.

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Government's climate change adviser Ross Garnaut

[JoeT]

Certification Body Opens Australian Office

David Hassall
15 July 2008
www.goauto.com.au

Australian exports made easier with the arrival of international approval office.

International vehicle certification authority (VCA) has established an office in Australia that should make it easier and cheaper for local car makers and suppliers to service global export markets.

The British government-owned organisation, which has offices around the world and does official third-party type approval for most countries apart from North America, launched VCA Australia in Melbourne earlier this month.

The establishment of a globally recognised agency in Australia will streamline the certification of vehicles that have been designed and engineered here for international markets as well as those manufactured locally for export.

Holden, Ford and Toyota are heavily involved in international development programs for their parent companies and employ thousands of design and development engineers, but certification of the vehicles overseas has been an expensive and time-consuming operation.

Certification is required on all vehicles to ensure they meet the growing number of international standards applied around the world, ranging from air conditioning and headlight performance through to crashworthiness and emissions.

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[mikmak]

That is just the type of place I would like to work....which is kind of sad