News Corp is a network of leading corporations in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and info solutions. The complicated selection yesterday by Holden vehicle workers to accept a wages freeze in return for job certainty until 2016 offers a superior time to take into account how the market got into this parlous state and why the taxpayer commits scarce resources to supporting such a troubled industry.
The industry requirements to be improved run I agree, with the exception of the cruze , they make the wrong form of vehicles , but the level of subsidy is minute compared to other nations and if its withdrawn , then say goodbye to a big chunk of our manufacturing base.
Even so, if we are to see public funds going to vehicle makers then, I think that we have to have to take up an equity position on behalf of the Australian taxpayers who are providing this obligation totally free monetary help maybe a non voting shareholding with a non executive board appointment representing the Australian taxpayers.
The Australian automobile sector is locked in a time warp, kept alive by Australians who have some sad love affair with a past age, largely since their fathers purchased it. The technologies in the Australian cars is average and average quality.
I notice that your automotive industry is extremely fragmented and that the range of car or truck makers offerred is over-saturated by the range of tends to make and models accessible-I guess you had to do that to appease your trading partners (your beef and minerals…their vehicles).
