Don’t listen to the gloom and doomsters. There’s a raging job opportunity going in Oz. All you need are two large hands with strong foreams, able to be held at the horizontal for long periods, sometimes decades at a stretch. Please make your CV out to “The Federal Government New Car Plan”. Don’t worry about a stamp, since they’ll probably pay for that too.
So without further comment, here’s the news from the ABC:
The Federal Government says it has avoided a “knockout blow” to the manufacturing sector by giving $215 million in assistance to General Motors Holden.
The car maker will also receive $50 million from the South Australian Government and $10 million from the Victorian Government.
The $275 million package will be handed over in return for a $1 billion investment from Holden to make two new car models at its Adelaide plant, with a guarantee the carmaker will maintain its Australian operations for at least the next decade.
Unions and industry bodies have welcomed the deal, which Prime Minister Julia Gillard says will save thousands of jobs.
“In January this year we were at real risk that there would be no more Holden in Australia, that we wouldn’t have Holden here producing motor vehicles,” she said.
“That wasn’t acceptable for me as Prime Minister and it wasn’t the right thing for the nation’s future.
“It would’ve been a knockout blow for manufacturing in this country, given the importance of the auto industry to all of manufacturing.”
Actually, there is a comment to be had here. The debate over a viable manufacturing industry should have been held, sturdy and robust policies written, enacted and put to bed about a decade or so ago. Instead, we have “adjusted” our way to this situation using the conventional economic means which have resulted in a high AUD and contractionary fiscal policy, whilst every other developed country has some sort of management of both
Or we wouldn’t have seen this:
But last month (Holden) announced the high Australian dollar had forced shift changes at its Elizabeth plant in Adelaide and 100 casual positions would have to go…..
The Federal Government says the pressures on the car industry, particularly the high dollar, are likely to cause “restructuring in the coming period”.