Comments on: Will Bracks take the automotive sector off life support?

By: Eric

Eric — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

There is a strategic reason for having a motor vehicle industry in this country. It is one of the last’ heavy” manufacturing industries we have. The skill bases and plant required for engine and drive train manufacture, body panel pressing, even tyre manufacture are all convertible to other uses in the event of a meltdown in international trade, hostilities blocking our trade routes or other international problem which leaves us isolated. These skills and facilities take years to establish and once lost are almost impossible to regain. Unfortunately the “Beancounter” mentality cannot see beyond their chequebooks and spreadsheets and view every situation from only the financial perspective. Take notice, those decrying the car industry are the same ones who had convinced themselves the stock market would never fall and that interest rates would never rise. This is a situation where you have to look beyond the end of the financial year, something which is almost impossible for a Beancounter to do….. Think of the car industry as the industrial equivalent of the Army Reserve

By: col emanuel

col emanuel — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

thanks for the story..like the future fund.with70billion dollars.of our money..instead of starting the bank of australia,we buy $35billion worth of bank money.wich means they can keep ripping us off..the author stated ,the tax payers gave$1.1 billion to the couple of car makers last year..still one company closed…with tthat sort of money..what cars we could design and built…but sorry ,,globilastion is all about ,not us [ but money]..i say step in now .if they cant preduce the right vehicles i am sure australians can

By: Eric

Eric — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

“And while we’re at it, do the same with the equally non-essential cotton and rice growers who are still being helped to destroy our Murray River system”………..Mark, you are displaying your ingnorance on a grand scale. Certainly these industries are not very environmentally friendly but “non-essential” ?

I suggest you do do some serious research and find out just how much they have contributed to the economies of country towns and to the Australian economy generally. Our balance of payment figures would be much worse without them.

By: Mark

Mark — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Completely agree with Bernard Keane. The car “industry” is one of the great rip-offs of all time. John Button masterminded a pretty gentle weaning process, and these comedians want to undermine even that. They need to move from the world they want to the world we have. There is no reason why we Australians should keep paying to indulge their fantasies. Let’s put that labour into some genuinely productive areas. (And while we’re at it, do the same with the equally non-essential cotton and rice growers who are still being helped to destroy our Murray River system)

By: col emanuel

col emanuel — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

just a quick comment to erick….wake up…we keep throwing our money to these companys,,,then if they can get it done cheaper elswere…get stuffed australia…

By: Dave Liberts

Dave Liberts — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Eric, it will be screamingly obvious from my comment that I’m South Australian, but I completely agree with you about our vehicle industry and couldn’t agree less about the rice and cotton!