Toyota Australia wants government funding to build new model

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by MethodX

Since they are all multinationals anyway, what difference does it make?

Not sure they do however if they spend more of their money locally isn't that a big difference.

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Australian Government support for the local auto industry? An equivalent of $17 per person, per year.
German Government support for its local auto industry? $90 per person, per year.

I wonder what kind of quality cars we'd be capable of if our local industry got the support that other Nations gave to theirs?
Not only that we have one of the lowest import duties of any nation.

Yep. This is part of the problem.

I for one support funding for Toyota as long as they still employ Australians. Skilled Australians who can build things.

[mik]

it does`nt bother me, in the scheme of things, it`s peanuts anyway, but i`d rather they(powers that be) put in policy so manufacturing could kick on so they don`t need handouts.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by mik

it does`nt bother me, in the scheme of things, it`s peanuts anyway, but i`d rather they(powers that be) put in policy so manufacturing could kick on so they don`t need handouts.

And this is part of the problem - lousy policy support. Why do certain state governments only have 30% of their entire vehicle fleet consisting of Australian made vehicles? Why did the Australian Government not take the Thai government to task over screwing us with the 50% import duty on cars 3.0 litres and above? So much for a "Free Trade Agreement"

[FPV GTHO]

The government seem more focused on reiterating the manufacturers arent building the cars they, and to a lesser degree the public, need, rather than supporting what is already here.

I can understand when a government job dictates the use of something like a dual cab 4x4 and there is nothing close that fits the bill, but the passenger car fleet needs to be looked at when you consider Cruze, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Falcon Ecoboost, Falcon EcoLPi and Territory Diesel cover a broad range of the market.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by FPV GTHO

The government seem more focused on reiterating the manufacturers arent building the cars they, and to a lesser degree the public, need, rather than supporting what is already here.

I can understand when a government job dictates the use of something like a dual cab 4x4 and there is nothing close that fits the bill, but the passenger car fleet needs to be looked at when you consider Cruze, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Falcon Ecoboost, Falcon EcoLPi and Territory Diesel cover a broad range of the market.

Exactly. Not every agency needs a dual cab 4x4 or similar. For example the government department I work for is based in the CBD and has no need for anything over and above a passenger car. Our fleet (such as it is, we only have 4 cars after we were rationalised) are all imported vehicles. Other departments that garage their cars in the same building basement as ours are similar. I think there may be a couple of Camrys as the locally made contingent but that's it.

[GREGL]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

If I ever had the misfortune of driving a commodore, wouldn't mind a complete badge swap to toyota lexcen to avoid having to stare at that unsightly gay lion badge (since when was a lion an Australian animal) every day .

They have a very nice fleet of RWD cars over in japan they could bring over here to be assembled and be the successor to the lexcen. Toyota Aristocrat, Celsior, Crown, Chaser etc.

Yeah your right , in 1951 or thereabouts they should have employsed a marketing company to come up with a badge that was more Orstralian , perhaps a kangaroo or a meat pie or just plain old G.M , to match ford . Why not after all for both the processes were bacically the same . All based on a U.S design originally , just styling marginally changed . Ford stuck closer to the Americans early on than Holden , both in body AND engines . If you look at the first 4 cyl. efforts both brands sourced them from England ( basically direct copies )

What you may not realise at the hieght of Holdens popularity there was a generation of people that had lived through WW2 . My nanna lost 3 of her 4 brothers in that war and I still remember her hatred of anything asian . As time has passed that feeling has mellowed . So in essence Holden got the jump on Ford as a locally manufacturer of supposedly Aussie built cars , In the case of Ford they fully imported and came in as C.K.D form in the 50's . A whole decade + to establish a market presence which put Ford behind the 8 ball ever since .

By the way you are no longer allowed to use the word gay as some lions may be offended !

[GREGL]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Exactly. Not every agency needs a dual cab 4x4 or similar. For example the government department I work for is based in the CBD and has no need for anything over and above a passenger car. Our fleet (such as it is, we only have 4 cars after we were rationalised) are all imported vehicles. Other departments that garage their cars in the same building basement as ours are similar. I think there may be a couple of Camrys as the locally made contingent but that's it.

F.B.T , utes do not attract fringe benifits tax , hence X dept. doesn't have to pay Mr taxman as much at the end of the year. (or the user of said vehicle) .

There are a whole bunch of factors screwing the local industry some more obvious than others .

[MethodX]

Originally Posted by GREGL

Yeah your right , in 1951 or thereabouts they should have employsed a marketing company to come up with a badge that was more Orstralian , perhaps a kangaroo or a meat pie or just plain old G.M , to match ford . Why not after all for both the processes were bacically the same . All based on a U.S design originally , just styling marginally changed . Ford stuck closer to the Americans early on than Holden , both in body AND engines . If you look at the first 4 cyl. efforts both brands sourced them from England ( basically direct copies )

What you may not realise at the hieght of Holdens popularity there was a generation of people that had lived through WW2 . My nanna lost 3 of her 4 brothers in that war and I still remember her hatred of anything asian . As time has passed that feeling has mellowed . So in essence Holden got the jump on Ford as a locally manufacturer of supposedly Aussie built cars , In the case of Ford they fully imported and came in as C.K.D form in the 50's . A whole decade + to establish a market presence which put Ford behind the 8 ball ever since .

By the way you are no longer allowed to use the word gay as some lions may be offended !

As much as i dislike the empire, the British Lion?
Why doesnt Ford go back to its Eary 50's crest with the 3 lions instead of the same old boring blue oval?

Holden has to get government money to start production as GM thought Aus was too socialist or could turn socialist and didnt want to risk its own money.

[FPV GTHO]

Originally Posted by GREGL

F.B.T , utes do not attract fringe benifits tax , hence X dept. doesn't have to pay Mr taxman as much at the end of the year. (or the user of said vehicle) .

There are a whole bunch of factors screwing the local industry some more obvious than others .

Government departments should not have government taxes dictating an import getting used when a local will do the same job.