Abbott to Ford: export or die

[SpoolMan]

Guys the political bickering needs to STOP or I will lock the thread.

Stick to the topic of discussion.

[SpoolMan]

AAP
April 18, 2013 9:40PM
Govt must help carmakers innovate: Combet

THE federal government must help the carmaking industry to innovate so that the embattled sector remains viable in the years ahead, the federal government says.

Speaking in Sydney on Thursday night, Innovation and Industry Minister Greg Combet said he hadn't given up on the local auto industry.

"I believe we can have a viable automotive manufacturing sector," Mr Combet told the launch of the 2013 Australian Innovation Festival.

His comments come after former Ford boss Jacques Nasser recently warned that the local automotive industry could collapse entirely if Ford, Holden or Toyota pulled out of the country.

The federal government and opposition don't agree with Mr Nasser, but differ on the measures needed to help prop up the struggling sector.

Mr Combet conceded the sector was suffering "structural adjustment pressures" and had been hit "pretty hard" by the high Aussie dollar and a devaluation of the Japanese currency, the yen.

"That hits very hard at motor vehicle manufacturing and it's competitiveness against Japanese imports," he said.

He said the government needed to back innovation in the sector, which supports about 250,000 people nationwide.

"Many, many firms and supply chains depend on it and I think it's incumbent on governments to try to work with industry to support innovation within it," he said.

He said the government was working to build innovation "precincts" where industry and universities could collaborate on projects in the hope of boosting competitiveness.

He said such "industry led" precincts had already been set up in the food processing and manufacturing sectors.

NSW Finances and Services Minister Greg Pearce said the O'Farrell government was trying to cut the red tape that "kills innovation".

"What we can do as a government is try to get our own act together," he said.

However, he conceded the state had a "long way to go".

He said he couldn't guarantee that "good submissions" from firms with innovative ideas were reaching the relevant ministers.

"We're doing our best," Mr Pearce said.

[BroadyFord]

PM, Abbott in car plan jobs stoush


http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/...3226_news.html

THE gloves have come off in the battle to win over Geelong voters, with Prime Minister Julia Gillard claiming Opposition Leader Tony Abbott wasn't capable of making a plan to save local manufacturing jobs.

In an attack on the eve of Mr Abbott's appearance tonight at the Geelong Advertiser /Sky News People's Forum, Ms Gillard said the Coalition's plan for the automotive sector was "laughable" and would cost 1500 jobs in the region.

"There will be no car industry in Geelong," Ms Gillard told the Geelong Advertiser in an exclusive interview.

"Not only would it kill the jobs of today, it would rob the jobs of tomorrow through advanced manufacturing."

Geelong and the marginal seat of Corangamite have become the focus for both leaders in the past 48-hours ahead of Mr Abbott's forum appearance in front of 100 uncommitted voters in the seat tonight.

A Coalition government would take $500 million out of the current $1.5 billion New Car Plan and has promised a Productivity Commission review into the sector after 2015.

Following Mr Abbott's interview in which he told the Addy the Coalition would push for greater exports from car manufacturers, especially from Ford, the Prime Minister said the plan was absurd and questioned Mr Abbott's ability to run the country on the back of it.

"You cannot do this job unless you've thought deeply and got the detailed policies and plans to support it," she said.

"I believe he (Mr Abbott) is not capable of coming up with an alternate plan."

Ms Gillard said exporting motor vehicles from Australia would put Ford in direct competition with its parent company in the United States.

"He must surely know that Ford makes decisions about what kind of manufacturing happens from where and what is exported to where at a global level," Ms Gillard said.

Responding to Ms Gillard's attack yesterday, a spokesman for Mr Abbott said it was Labor which had no plan for the car industry.

"The Prime Minister's comments are as credible as her pre-election pledge that 'there will be no carbon tax under the government I lead'," the spokesman said.

"As part of our plan to strengthen manufacturing in Geelong, we will abolish the carbon tax which has added $400 to the price of every locally made car."

Up to 100 unionists are planning to rally outside the forum at the Geelong RSL in Belmont tonight, seeking to ask Mr Abbott their own questions, including resurrecting key WorkChoices policies, 457 visas and cutting car industry assistance.

"We don't think Tony Abbott should be able to come into town and go with the wrong impression that people either don't care or think his policies are wonderful," Trades Hall secretary Tim Gooden said.

"This is our way of having our voices heard."

Corangamite MP Darren Cheeseman will also speak at the rally.

"Our large employers contribute $300 million annually to the Geelong economy and Mr Abbott holds that in contempt and disregard," he said. "The next parliament will be critical in determining the future of these very significant employers in our region."

[Polyal]

Yes exporting a Falcon (E platform) car would clash with what other Ford again?

[Road_Warrior]

Can someone tell me what RWD sedan in the Ford global portfolio the Falcon would clash with?

OH BUT THE TORESS!!!1 IT HAS MORE MUCH EQKWIPMENT AND MORE BETTER

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Can someone tell me what RWD sedan in the Ford global portfolio the Falcon would clash with?

OH BUT THE TORESS!!!1 IT HAS MORE MUCH EQKWIPMENT AND MORE BETTER

No where else in the Ford world do they have large RWD sedans with Ecoboost, 6 cylinder and Supercharged V8.

Also the Kuga is the largest rest-of-world SUV they have outside of US. So there would be a place for a Territory above that.

[ryeman]

Maybe under OneFord the Mustang is to be the last RWD platform.
Do ICONS represent POLITICAL COMMENT ?

[joelsxr]

Originally Posted by prydey

i think that is a scapegoat. i agree that that perception is out there, but most of the people throwing those stones aren't new car buyers anyway.

fuel is often named as a reason for flagging sales but it doesn't explain the increase in suv sales, many of which have similar or worse fuel economy. the fuel excuse is a cop out.

fuel excuse is not a cop out, just bought a CRD 300C cause I wanted a full size sedan, kids, grandkids etc, bit of luxury that the locals could not provide for a tad over 50K and 6.6 l/100k..lovin it.

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Can someone tell me what RWD sedan in the Ford global portfolio the Falcon would clash with?

OH BUT THE TORESS!!!1 IT HAS MORE MUCH EQKWIPMENT AND MORE BETTER

Originally Posted by Polyal

Yes exporting a Falcon (E platform) car would clash with what other Ford again?

She's not wrong though. That is how the Ford Executives view the cars. It's how the rest of the non-car-people-world view the cars.

Two large Sedans - That's how they view them.

To Dearborn however... Taurus has the advantage of being made in the US of A.

Only to us... do we know it's a fantastic and versatile machine, as it always has been, and kick's the Taurus right in the bollocks.

[Flat Top]

develop the export incentives (yes subsidise them -if vehicles are 40% local content) by increasing the import tariffs a little overall.
It may be the Toyotas and Holdens and the components guys can develop business. If Ford Want to take it up then they can . if they dont want to then they loose out? $$$$ and coinvestment dollars as well -Dearbourn can assess on their own .
They tell us there are parts shortages to allow a sustainable increase in Ranger Production (engine components and Transmission components??)

Even Mercedes and BMW and VW can source some components here??cant they?-
(they were having issues with supply as well in South Africa , argentina )

They wont like an tariff/exchange rate equalisation scheme , but they are in a position to use to their advantage by exporting if they want to .

Perhaps the territory is just a short term step , the next global platform can be a Global Variant!!! with some local content (like Toyota and GM)-if they wanna assemble locally a Niche vehicle which is what the world wants (different model variants like SUVs -Just a Focus platform)

Just a Thought!

[getjpi]

Originally Posted by joelsxr

fuel excuse is not a cop out, just bought a CRD 300C cause I wanted a full size sedan, kids, grandkids etc, bit of luxury that the locals could not provide for a tad over 50K and 6.6 l/100k..lovin it.

Nice

There is a Ford built V6 with 200kw/600nm which is delivering ~7.0L/100km in Falcon sized applications elsewhere.

There is a Ford built 4 cylinder with 150kw/450nm which is delivering ~5.5l/100km in Falcon sized applications elsewhere.

No amount of uninformed breast beating and wishful thinking or attempts to steal from every other car owner in the country by imposing tariffs will sell a profitable quantity of 4.0 litre petrol engines in Europe, where petrol is close to double the price it is here, and in some EU countries the CC based rego equivalent on a 4.0 litre engine would be well north of $2000 per year.

A European export focused Falcon would have to have 4 engine choices. 1.6L and 2.0L EB, 2.2 and 3.0 PSA TDCi.

Whether that's worth the inevitable large sums of money to achieve the appropriate levels of compliance and certification is another question.

[mik]

Originally Posted by getjpi

Nice

There is a Ford built V6 with 200kw/600nm which is delivering ~7.0L/100km in Falcon sized applications elsewhere.

There is a Ford built 4 cylinder with 150kw/450nm which is delivering ~5.5l/100km in Falcon sized applications elsewhere.

No amount of uninformed breast beating and wishful thinking or attempts to steal from every other car owner in the country by imposing tariffs will sell a profitable quantity of 4.0 litre petrol engines in Europe, where petrol is close to double the price it is here, and in some EU countries the CC based rego equivalent on a 4.0 litre engine would be well north of $2000 per year.

A European export focused Falcon would have to have 4 engine choices. 1.6L and 2.0L EB, 2.2 and 3.0 PSA TDCi.

Whether that's worth the inevitable large sums of money to achieve the appropriate levels of compliance and certification is another question.

nothing whatever to do with stealing from every other car owner, simply evening up the playing field which is well skewed in favour of imports.

[getjpi]

Originally Posted by mik

nothing whatever to do with stealing from every other car owner, simply evening up the playing field which is well skewed in favour of imports.

Skewed ? Really ?

You are proposing to confiscate the hard earned from 90% of new car buyers to prop up three foreign owned manufacturers producing products which clearly appeal to a tiny minority of the market.

It's as nonsensical as 'evening up the playing field' by suggesting that additional duties be placed on imported televisions or washing machines to prop up a local supplier. It's not like that hasn't happened before....

Self interested whining by producers doesn't change the fact that all such actions are thinly disguised pick pocketing of consumers.

[mik]

you must have me confused with someone else bud, i don`t believe it is to prop up our 3 car makers at all, it effects many other industries as well, as for confiscating the hard earned from 90% of new car buyers, i don`t believe that for a minute, i do however believe other importers are getting much more of a free ride due to uneven/unfair trade deals at the expense of Australian industry , be it cars, steel makers, manufacturing in this country in general , farmers, etc, etc.
but you can believe what ever you want.

[Gadgetman]

I think we are missing the big picture here. I think our country is in a sad state when our potential new prime minister puts ideas out there that is so far from being reality. It really concerns me that we have such bright sparks at the helm of our country.

[joelsxr]

Originally Posted by Gadgetman

I think we are missing the big picture here. I think our country is in a sad state when our potential new prime minister puts ideas out there that is so far from being reality. It really concerns me that we have such bright sparks at the helm of our country.

The country's in a horrible state but not because of any ideas our potential prime minister has, wake up now to whats going on from the incumbent tribe of idiots, she is aspiring to Obama's level of deficit, god help us.....

[Peter B - CV8]

Originally Posted by joelsxr

The country's in a horrible state but not because of any ideas our potential prime minister has, wake up now to whats going on from the incumbent tribe of idiots, she is aspiring to Obama's level of deficit, god help us.....

I tend to agree with you - but I don't think any political party can "fix" the underlying problems with car manufacturing in Australia. Quite simply it is a dead/dying industry that is unable to compete with overseas product/pricing. I for one, would suggest that any employee involved in production/assembly, should be upskilling with a view to different employment - because the end will eventually come. I take no joy from this - given our proud vehicle design/ build history. But you have to be realistic.....

[ryeman]

The massive debt is just nonsense....if it were spending on 'pork barreling' to simply buy votes it would threaten our AAA rating.(private schools?)
Structural investment in education, health, NBN etc is an investment in productivity in the same way we want Ford to go into debt to create/sustain jobs which lead to profit and tax receipts.

[Spinner77]

With respect, I think the argument about debt is not about now, but about the future - if or when the mining boom really busts, commodity prices fall out of bed, and the dollar dives. Then, any government, Liberal or Labor, will have to go into deficit.

Having had an unprecented export boom, and nothing much to show for it, the risk is that future deficits will be much bigger than otherwise. Other things being equal, that will put upward pressure on interest rates, as the government of the day must borrow more and more, with no buffer of a surplus. Another recession we will have to have, in Keating's memorable words.

On the question of investments in productivity, you have to look at the returns likely. That is Turnbull's basic point about the NBN. The way it is going, the return on investment - the dividend in productivity and so on - is going to be very small. That is because the investment chosen looks now to be so huge.

The same could be said about education. If you double the number of teachers and build all the smaller classrooms, does anyone think it will do any good? Is there going to be increased productivity out of that? Nobody in government, as far as I know, has answered the question why Catholic parish schools produce better results than state schools, with fewer resources in most cases.

The problem is with crappy teaching and things that make teaching and learning harder - like lack of discipline. If we really wanted to be serious (and we don't), we would go back to streaming kids, according to ability, and give principals the power to run their own show (as is beginning to happen in WA). But no, the answer we are given is more teachers and small classrooms. More money to do the same mistaken things more intensively - the things that we know don't work.

This point, on the productivity from public investment, always has to be considered in terms of the likely returns. You can build a taxi fleet using 911s. But don't expect the returns to justify the investment.

[ryeman]

It's about all children having a good education instead of creating the first class based society of any advances first world nation.
As for the Libs NBN its hopelessly slow before they even start.
Even India is going to leave us for dead, as for Asia that was long ago thanks to the dig it up n flog it mentality.
One thing we are good at is finding a way to say 'we can't do that' .

[Spinner77]

creating the first class based society of any advanced first world nation

That's a very good way of putting it. The funny thing is that it is only Australians born here, by and large, who can see it.

I have Chinese and Vietnamese friends and neighbours. They have a view about the state system here, and it's not good.

They will save, beg, borrow, and do anything it takes to send their kids to non-state schools, for at least secondary education - even if it is a local Catholic school. And they are Buddhist, and most in semi-skilled jobs.

[Spinner77]

Sorry, meant only Australians born here, by and large, who can't see it.