Slow news day? Let's stick the boot into Ford again

[ltd]

Ford will be next to quit Australia, predicts analyst John Wormald
Source: Philip King From: The Australian March 18, 2010 4:34AM

FORD will be the next carmaker to quit manufacturing in Australia because "throwing money" at the industry can only work in the short term, a government adviser has claimed.

Subsidies were doomed to fail because the industry lacked a vision for the future and Ford was most vulnerable because it was isolated from its parent's global operations.

"As soon as choices have to be made, Ford is the next Mitsubishi," said John Wormald, principal of international consultant Autopolis, referring to the Japanese company's decision to shut down its Adelaide factory two years ago.

Mr Wormald, who is in Australia to advise the Victorian Government, said the replacement for the Falcon, due in about five years, could be imported cheaply and the carmaker did not need its Melbourne plant.

"Ford isn't short of assembly capacity in other places," he said. "Where's the plan to integrate Australia?"

Has this guy been paying any attention at all to what the USA has had to say? Or is he just another uphill gardener type Holden lackey who's paid to put cats amongst pigeons?