claybro wrote:The demise of Holden is sad news, from the point of losing another iconic Australian brand, but maybe, just possibly, it could be a blessing in disguise to this state. The Federal government is now locked in to spending hundreds of millions in this state, much of it on much needed infrastructure and also to diversify manufacturing here. We had become obesessed with saving Holden, and yes, many thousands who lose their jobs, and may never find well payed employment again. however, what is yet to be calculated is the new opportunites that will become available in the next decade of increased infrastructure spending and new jobs created in other industries such as defence and mining services, supported by decent efficient roads, rail and ports, rather than just shovelling money off to Detroit to prop up that bankrupt city, and paying 1300 production line workers well above the average wage.
Well above the average wage? Mate, the average wage at Holdens is something like 45-48,000, the state average is something like 50,000. Some Liberals are of the opinion that they should only be getting a third of that for the work they do.
And let's not pretend like we don't all know that the Liberal party is more interested in looking after their mates in big business then they are in looking after and securing Australian jobs. Holdens closing is a classic example of how the Liberal party does not give a toss about the Australian worker.
This isn't just about Holden closing production in Australia. It is also about the tens of thousands of people who are employed at component manufacturers around Australia. The total amount of people affected by Holden closing, could exceed 100,000. Our state economy is going to take a big hit as a result of this.
Lets assume 3/4 of those people do not find work within the first year. The average dole payment is around $250 a week I believe. That's $13,000 a year for 75,000 people. That's $975 million in dole payments in one year. Remind me again how much it would have cost to maintain Labors plan to assist the car industry? 500 million over the space of a few years? Even if only half don't find work in the first year, that's still over $600 million.
Then throw in the 1 billion dollars that it's estimated by experts(was in advertiser) that the north of Adelaide will require in assistance now. And who knows how much more money is going to be needed to help other communities and regions around Australia who will be affected.
We are talking many billions of dollars. Of course I'm sure Abbott will find a way to do it on the cheap without really helping most of those affected.
Where is the plan to help those people? Tony Abbott still mulling things over with that slimy slug Hockey who spent an entire election campaign bashing Labor about debt, and then when he gets into the Treasurers seat goes and abolishes the debt ceiling? Of course when they run debt up to a trillion dollars, it'll be Labors fault naturally.
What infrastructure spending? Abbott has cut funding for the Torrens to Torrens section. We still haven't heard anything on his promise for Darlington.
The federal government isn't locked into spending anything extra in South Australia. What makes you think they will now spend extra money in SA on infrastructure? Has there been some announcement?
Why did they sit on their hands and basically challenge Holden to close down, and now suddenly they are talking about being ready to help Toyota and provide assistance? We are being duped by these assholes and some people actually think they give a shit about us common folk. But then again some of us claim to be paid to think outside the box while we walk around sipping their coffee from some coffee franchise.
The next state election is shaping up to be Weatherill vs Abbott.
Steven whats his name has become irrelevant in one of the biggest issues this state has faced in years. No surprise really.
What new jobs in mining and defence? Where are these jobs going to come from? Which companies are expanding? Which companies are moving in? Is Tony Abbott going to commit to building 12 new submarines at Osborne? How about a fourth destroyer which was talked about a while before the election? No? At least 45,000 people will soon be out of a job. Where are these 45,000 new jobs? Whose going to pay to retrain these people? Abbott? Abbott didn't even want to fork out 100-150 million to save their jobs..he's now going to spend more then that to retrain them and help them get new jobs? That would be a surprise.
Tony Abbott talking about Olympic Dam's expansion possibly going ahead is just a tactic to deflect attention from his monumental SCREW UP. The locals aren't going to vote his state counterparts in if they wake up to the fact that federal Libs have screwed the state over by allowing Holden to close. Especially when they realize how little it could have cost to keep 100,000 people employed, compared to how much it's going to cost with Holden closing to "fix" the surge in unemployment.
When BHP didn't go ahead with ODX, they did say it was still going to happen eventually. So what's Abbott on about? Has he got some insider knowledge? Perhaps we should take it as a hint and invest in BHP shares now?
First Mitsubishi, then Ford, now Holden. Toyota wont be far off. And lets not forget the countless other manufacturers in other industries which have been lost. Our governments have screwed and condemned our manufacturing by putting us on an even playing field with the rest of the world, now we can't do shit about it or we get taken to court and fined by the WTO. That's the real scoop here that is being ignored, not so much that another manufacturer is closing it's doors.
Our governments Labor or Liberal have been doing very little and continue to do nothing to protect Australian industries and jobs.
How many people employed by Sheridan these days? A few dozen under the umbrella of Pacific Brands? Their factory on the St Clair site at Woodville used to employ over 1,000 people. BUT THEY ARE STILL EMPLOYING SOME PEOPLE TO MOVE SOME BOXES AROUND SO THATS GOOD NEWS YEH??!! Lets rejoice.
Manufacturing is a strategic asset to a nation. I'll let you all think about on what that means for your selves.