The unions wanted more cash from the workers in union fees.

The unions wanted more cash and less hours for the workers.

The car manufacturers wanted to make a profit, but in the end could not because of the high wages and outrageous working conditions the unions forced on the manufacturers.

In the end Mitsubishi finished up. Well you would think that would have been a hint to the unions and the workers.

The Australian Government had been getting squeezed for cash every year to prop up the failing car industry, another hint.

Ford stated even with Gov assistance they could not afford to make cars in Australia.

Yingluck comes to Australia and part of Ford are now produced in Thailand with the Thailand plant expanding.

Holden GM announce they are closing down and they also announced they could not afford to produce cars here.

A change in Government comes along, the unions think they will ride rough shot over them, bad mistake.

The union tell their Toyota employees not to take a backward step, not to take a drop in wages and not to give up any of their work conditions.

Toyota then announced they will be finished production by 2017 and it did not matter if the Australian Gov gave them a hand out, they stated they don't want it and are going anyhow.

The latest is Qantas approached the Australian Gov for a handout today. They were bluntly told there will be no handouts, to work out their own profit and losses.

Qantas will now probably be all maintained overseas.

Ahhh yes, the good old unions have helped the workers once again. There is no end in sight of closures at the moment.

Very poor view of economics and typical union bashing.

The Federal or even the State government are not elected to subsidized big business profits, there role is to encourage and set a frame work for business to invest, free markets and thats what we have in the west dictate what they invest in.

As for wages of car workers, how you think there high compared to the workers in other industries in AU amazes me, we here in Australia are fast slipping into a working poor environment, blame it on our cost of living if you like, dont hear anyone complain about the ridiculous salaries of CO"s or middle to high management.

Off topic but Rooney of Manchester United is expected to sign a new long term contract for can you believe more than half a million Australian dollars per week...now how many people even in GB could be employed for that sort of money? Franklin, Ablett???? small bickies still but were on our way too.

The press and various employer groups in AU have been telling us our $ is too high and wages too high to compete....were being force feed propaganda to hopefully keep us on the straight and narrow.

Its not the unions fault and its not the governments fault that industry is moving overseas or closing, Its Business and a lot of people get caught up in the blame game.

Harvey Norman and a few others have been having a go at online stores how there this and that,, the truth is these people got caught with there pants down, they didnt see it coming, there business expertise did not see a market that was ripe for developing.

Mate get real...these CO's get paid a bundle of money its there role to "grow" there business not the governments to keep them afloat nor a ordinary worker to forsake benefits gathered over generations, we have gone from hunters and gatherers through the agricultural and industrial age now were in the information age, business has been changing and adapting for centuries, nations rise and fall.

Stupid Carbon Tax.. well done you global warming nut jobs.

Stupid Carbon Tax.. well done you global warming nut jobs.

except that Alcoa said that the carbon tax had nothing to do with the decision.

You sound as brainewashed as Sutheps' mob.

The ripple effect will be enormous. I blame all governments (Labor and Liberal) for not forcing Ford and Holden to produce cars that people want and to repay the taxpayer's money invested (gifted) should they decide to move on. It was not rocket science, blind Freddy could have predicted the rise of China and SE Asia as manufacturers yonks ago. Steps should have benn taken 10 - 15 years ago to effect a transition into high end technological industries. So in the same month that Holden announces it's closure, Australia signs a free trade deal with S. Korea and..lo and behold ..GM are producing them there. Globalisation is the scourge of the Western world. How can an Australian worker compete with Toyota in Thailand? Impossible... so don't go bashing the unions. These multi nationals act like a locust plague, taking the handouts then moving on.

How would Labor or Liberal force Ford and Holden to produce cars ?

The ripple effect will be enormous. I blame all governments (Labor and Liberal) for not forcing Ford and Holden to produce cars that people want and to repay the taxpayer's money invested (gifted) should they decide to move on. It was not rocket science, blind Freddy could have predicted the rise of China and SE Asia as manufacturers yonks ago. Steps should have benn taken 10 - 15 years ago to effect a transition into high end technological industries. So in the same month that Holden announces it's closure, Australia signs a free trade deal with S. Korea and..lo and behold ..GM are producing them there. Globalisation is the scourge of the Western world. How can an Australian worker compete with Toyota in Thailand? Impossible... so don't go bashing the unions. These multi nationals act like a locust plague, taking the handouts then moving on.

If Australia had not engaged with the globalisation process e.g. reducing tariffs, the economy and employment would be in in a lot worse state than it is today. Sadly some industries and associated employment will suffer, but better than being figuratively 'dead'.

The ripple effect will be enormous. I blame all governments (Labor and Liberal) for not forcing Ford and Holden to produce cars that people want and to repay the taxpayer's money invested (gifted) should they decide to move on. It was not rocket science, blind Freddy could have predicted the rise of China and SE Asia as manufacturers yonks ago. Steps should have benn taken 10 - 15 years ago to effect a transition into high end technological industries. So in the same month that Holden announces it's closure, Australia signs a free trade deal with S. Korea and..lo and behold ..GM are producing them there. Globalisation is the scourge of the Western world. How can an Australian worker compete with Toyota in Thailand? Impossible... so don't go bashing the unions. These multi nationals act like a locust plague, taking the handouts then moving on.

The fact is Australia was neve a. It enough market to justify huge car players.

There was a plan drawn up in the early 90s and that was the Button car plan under the Hawke government to gradually slower protections. But the reality of the market beyond that blanket of protection was that you can't produce cars in Australia economically. You'd need three times the people.

Well, Samran, once all those asylum seekers get settled, you just might have 3X the number of people!