What will happen to Toyota's Australian manufacturing activities?

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by stevz

If you have a passion for Camrys then your passion may as well be dead.

Ha, I deserve that! Still the bloody thing is one of the best cars I've owned(for an appliance).

[jamies]

Originally Posted by Mighty Reds

Toyota could potentially reap the benefits of being the last man standing.

I was in a managers meeting the other day and senior Toyota officials said that they are committed to keeping Toyota in Aust.. they can see that as a benefit.. We'll see how it pans out.

[XW-BAXR6T]

Every one, support Toyota. buy Australian...I will be supporting Toyota...

[Gadgetman]

Not sure what will happen to Toyota but I want one of the Last Camry Sportivo's that roll off the production line. I reckon car will be worth millions one day.

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by Gadgetman

Not sure what will happen to Toyota but I want one of the Last Camry Sportivo's that roll off the production line. I reckon car will be worth millions one day.

. By that token, I guess I better start stockpiling a few low mileage Magna vr-x's and 380 GT's I can find.

[Gadgetman]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

. By that token, I guess I better start stockpiling a few low mileage Magna vr-x's and 380 GT's I can find.

Better yet. a ralliart magna bro

[jamies]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

. By that token, I guess I better start stockpiling a few low mileage Magna vr-x's and 380 GT's I can find.

The sad thing is a five year old Camry will fetch more money then a two year old falcon XT. They hold there value, I see it every day I saw a 06 Fpv Typhoon Ego grey with extras traded for $13k. They got a Hilux from memory.

[BroadyFord]

I think I mentioned it earlier but I'll say it again.

I was told by a senior government source last week that Toyota will give manufacturing a "red-hot go" without GMH, even though they admit it will be "a serious challenge".

[jamies]

Originally Posted by BroadyFord

I think I mentioned it earlier but I'll say it again.

I was told by a senior government source last week that Toyota will give manufacturing a "red-hot go" without GMH, even though they admit it will be "a serious challenge".

I heard this last week at a corporate meeting.

[blueoval]

are corrolla's made in Aus? Sorry for the noob question

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by blueoval

are corrolla's made in Aus? Sorry for the noob question

Nope. Our ones come from Thailand IIRC.

[Wretched]

Federal Court documents reveal Toyota is seeking to cut nearly 30 benefits for workers at its Victorian plant, including pay of double-time-and-a-half on Sundays.

The carmaker's enterprise agreement, which covers roughly 2,000 workers at its Altona plant, is due to expire in March 2015.

Toyota wants to alter the agreement to help pay for wage rises due next year.

The Federal Court ruled last week that Toyota could not go ahead with an employee vote on the changes, and the carmaker says it is considering appealing the ruling.

However, the court documents gives an insight into the kind of cuts to entitlements the carmaker is aiming for.

Toyota wants to cut what it calls "out-dated and uncompetitive terms and conditions", which also include not having to provide medical certificates for five days of sick leave.

The Federal Court documents show Toyota also wants to scrap an additional payment made to workers who are required to carry out work considered to be "unusually dirty or offensive".

Toyota also wants to shorten the plants Christmas shutdown period from 21 days to the eight days, lower the number of paid training days for staff each year, a scrap a four-hour paid leave allowance for employees who donate blood.

The company has warned Holden's decision to close its Australian operations in 2017 will put "unprecedented pressure" on its ability to make cars in Australia.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-1...?&section=news

I think it is fair that Toyota should be able to allow the employees to vote on it.

[mif73]

Originally Posted by blueoval

are corrolla's made in Aus? Sorry for the noob question

Corollas were made here until the late 90's.

Since then we have had just camry and avalon and now camry / aurion (camry and aurion are basically the same car, different drivetrain and bumpers, lights).
They were looking at making an suv here too.

I think the corolla we get here is still made in japan.

As with the 3 companies making cars, most of their sales and money comes from their imported models.

[Gadgetman]

Originally Posted by vztrt

Nope. Our ones come from Thailand IIRC.

Nope Australian delivered corollas actually come from Japan.

[vztrt]

^^ yeah I had a look and its Japan.

[BroadyFord]

Goodbye Toyota. Seriously, what planet is this guy on?!

Abbott hopeful Toyota will stay

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news...216-2zg15.html

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says there's a good chance Toyota can be convinced to keep making cars in Australia - but it won't involve government handouts.

Toyota will be the last company manufacturing cars in Australia by 2017, when Holden closes up shop a year after Ford shuts down local manufacturing.

Mr Abbott says he has met with Toyota head Max Yasuda in recent days and believes the company is in a very different position to Ford and Holden since it focuses heavily on exports.

"That's why I think we've got good prospects of keeping it," he told reporters on Monday while announcing the start of planned roadworks along the Great Ocean Road.

He said it was "tragic" to see Holden leave, but noted that a package designed to improve the efficiency of the industry will be announced in the coming days.

Mr Abbott said regions like Geelong, which has relied on manufacturing in the past, can shift the focus to other industries like tourism, higher education and biomedical research.

"I want to see people transition from old jobs into better jobs," he said.

But he's continuing to rule out any kind of direct assistance to the car industry.

"It will be the creativity, the dynamism and the commitment to running a successful business on their part, rather than taxpayer handouts, which will secure the future of all the businesses in this country," he said.

As someone said earlier, the federal government can no longer be trusted in ensuring the future of the car industry. They are not interested, especially given many of their frontbenchers are from inner-Sydney or outback QLD where manufacturing means nothing.

I think it should be up to the Victorian government to do what it can to ensure Toyota has a future and if that means doing all the legwork which was once the responsibility of the federal government then so be it.

[GQ_Smooth]

Originally Posted by BroadyFord

I think it should be up to the Victorian government to do what it can to ensure Toyota has a future and if that means doing all the legwork which was once the responsibility of the federal government then so be it.

Correct, it will impact the state government substantially more than Federal, however state finances aren't in a better position than Federal finances, essential services will have to suffer in order to keep Toyota, IMO, it's a price we need to pay and Toyota's model can be viable.

Not many autoworkers voted for Abbott, can't see him losing to much support if their life becomes substantially more difficult.

[GCRXR6]

Originally Posted by jamies

The sad thing is a five year old Camry will fetch more money then a two year old falcon XT. They hold there value, I see it every day I saw a 06 Fpv Typhoon Ego grey with extras traded for $13k. They got a Hilux from memory.

2006 Camry is worth 6800 at tops as a trade.....17000 for a 2006 F6. Don't know where you get your info from .. try the Car Salesmans bible.

[XC50077]

Originally Posted by BroadyFord

Statement from Toyota:

image

Once the dust settles there is an enormous business opportunity for Toyota Aust to build a RWD car. They already have the components ,V6 &V8 engines, transmissions and facilities about to become available. Additionally a glut of skilled people available from GMH & Ford.
Would be surprised if the business model hadn't been done 2 years ago when rumours of Ford packing up their kit first surfaced.

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by GCRXR6

2006 Camry is worth 6800 at tops as a trade.....17000 for a 2006 F6. Don't know where you get your info from .. try the Car Salesmans bible.

Nice way to compare a base Camry with a top spec Falcon...


An XT is worth just as much as a Camry...

[borough]

Originally Posted by BroadyFord

Goodbye Toyota. Seriously, what planet is this guy on?!



As someone said earlier, the federal government can no longer be trusted in ensuring the future of the car industry. They are not interested, especially given many of their frontbenchers are from inner-Sydney or outback QLD where manufacturing means nothing.

I think it should be up to the Victorian government to do what it can to ensure Toyota has a future and if that means doing all the legwork which was once the responsibility of the federal government then so be it.

He is being fiscally responsible and not just throwing money to delay the inevitable. Remember in 2012 Julia Gilliard was proud to announce that a deal was done to keep GM in Australia until 2022? Well that meant nothing. It is up to Toyota to develop a sustainable business to continue manufacturing here, not for the government to hand over a blank check.

[Joe5619]

If Toyota can do the unthinkable & make a profitable business case out of this & keep manufacturing cars in Australia, this would extend Toyota’s dominates at the top. One I don’t think we’ll see being beaten for many generations to come. They'll be allot of government sales up for grabs ones Falcon & Commdore are gone..

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by borough

He is being fiscally responsible and not just throwing money to delay the inevitable. Remember in 2012 Julia Gilliard was proud to announce that a deal was done to keep GM in Australia until 2022? Well that meant nothing. It is up to Toyota to develop a sustainable business to continue manufacturing here, not for the government to hand over a blank check.

Fiscally responsible, hardly? This a purely ideological decision based on Liberal party right-wing philosophy on the role of Government. Australia is the twelth largest economy in the world - the industry takes the equivalent of loose change behind the couch.

Looking at the numbers you would be mad not to support the car industry, $180 million a year assistance to sustain an industry of 100,000 people and and which contributes over $4 billion to the economy annually (let alone almost a billion in PAYG income tax a year).

Yes, the Government actually profits from the subsidy, to say he is being fiscally responsible is so far from the truth its almost funny.

If we really wanted to crack down on subsidies what about the $1.6 billion FBT incentives, or the $3 billion in handouts given to mining companies annually, or the most horrendous subsidy at all - the $5billion in negative gearing allowances given to property investors (which drives up housing prices through the roof and ties about a trillion dollars in bank capital which makes it harder to finance things that actually produce stuff for the economy).

If those numbers a little too big, what about the $750 million in annual wage rises given last year for federal public servants?

But let's keep taking about blank cheques...

[PepeLePew]

Brazen lots of facts and numbers there..your thoughts on why the government would act this way in the face of this reasoning? Ps it's a question with no hidden meaning...everyone is so inclined to think every poster is having a go at them these days it's sometimes easier not to participate in discussions!

Sorry just reread what I posted...clarifying....I see your point about ideology but why would they give themselves a massive shot in the fiscal foot when things aren't exactly in surplus right now?

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by PepeLePew

Brazen lots of facts and numbers there..your thoughts on why the government would act this way in the face of this reasoning? Ps it's a question with no hidden meaning...everyone is so inclined to think every poster is having a go at them these days it's sometimes easier not to participate in discussions!

No worries, I think it all comes down to the new Government following the economic theory of comparative advantage. The aim is that a country should produce things they have an advantage in. It's a noble aim with the supposed outcome that everyone will be better off. E.g. country 1 can cheaply produce food and country 2 can produce steel efficiently, they buy their products off each other and everyone is happy... In theory.

The problem is that it is made under so many theoretical assumptions that don't happen in reality.There is too much protectionism and manipulation around the world that everything can change on a whim. Currently Japan sells cars to us cheaply - so lets stop making cars and buy it off them cheap right? well at the moment Japan is spending billions a month devaluing their currency - it is not sustainable. What happens when it stops? The Japanese cars go up in price and we end up paying more as we don't make any of our own. It means that as become less self sufficient we become much more susceptible to the policy of other countries.

Comparative advantage also doesn't work in reality due to foreign ownership, labour and taxation. There is an assumption that as countries specialise in their own advantages, the population benefits. So theoretically we stop making cars and focus on mining - as mining booms all the money spreads to the rest of us, right? That doesn't happen in reality, as most mining is foreign-owned the wealth generated gets funnelled back in profits to the home countries. So Australia throws away its car industry by reducing tariffs and manufacturing incentives so that it can focus on mining, but ultimately its the Chinese and American mining company shreholders which end up benefiting.

Lastly, the theory of comparative advantage doesn't take into account the social and strategic responsibility that Government has. Perhaps it can be argued that having a well diversified economy that provides jobs for different skill sets and regions, that promotes innovation and that keeps vital skills in Australia while also future-proofing us against whatever may occur in the future may actually be worth the small hit to the pocket of the Chinese mining company shareholder.

[tranquilized]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Fiscally responsible, hardly? This a purely ideological decision based on Liberal party right-wing philosophy on the role of Government.

This is the point people need to think about - what do they think the role of government is?

We currently have a far-right government. The right wing way of thinking is that the free market is king, government should be small, and not mess with the market. So of course, this ideology rejects the idea of government intervening in any industry in any way. This is exactly what has been displayed with Holden, and now Toyota. We'll loose them as a result. (Not to ignore past governments from the other side of the fence role in getting us to this point)

[Brazen]

It would be good to see Governments make sensible, informed decisions. Both sides I think have been guilty of following ideologies rather than facts.

[OCTANEBOSS]

If they had any sense they would turn there Australian operations into a state of the art military manufacturing facility to supply parts & services to Australia & its other allies. Its seems to be the only logical way of keeping an parts orientated industry here. They could turn to growing garlic but it seems that most of it is imported.It also has its benefits as we can still manufacture these kind of parts at a moments notice if required, the skilled craftsman we still keep there jobs, conditions & they add value to our base resources we have here. A bit more chance of the worm turning with the greatwall ute than GTR

澳元

[MattSAU2XR8]

I've been thinking for a while that Toyota could do quite well by making their own less ugly XR6 clone instead of the Aurion SX6/ZR6. They could do this:
- Start off with an Aurion SX6,
- Put the a Camry Atara bonnet and front bumper on it, assuming this would clear the engine,
- Then put Kluger 330 mm rotors and twin pot calipers on it, which has been done before by someone at Toyota Owners website,
- Then fit TRD Aurion spec springs and dampers which were well regarded at the time,
- And if they were feeling generous fit proper looking wheels, which would be the only difficult part since they usually design ugly wheels, perhaps a re-issue of the TRD Aurion Rims?
Since all these parts already exist it shouldn't cost too much to organise.
Then this car would do everything an XR6 can do except for burnouts :-)

[eb2fairmont]

Just shove the 2gr into the commodore what a car would that be?