Trade unions are wary of productivity pleas from auto bosses as company boards and executives exclude themselves (and share holders) from the 'medicine' of pay cuts - and expect workers to bear the whole productivity burden, or their jobs are gone.
There's one rule for company ganders: To remain internationally competitive, we must pay directors and executives Top Dollar.
And another rule for company geese: To remain internationally competitive, we must pay workers Rock Bottom wages.
And a third rule for taxpayers: To remain internationally competitive, we must subsidise foreign car-makers.
Taxpayer money will be wasted. Years hence, imported Great Wall vehicles will dominate the market. Imported Ford, GM and Toyota vehicles will fight over what's left.
Without protection, vehicles will join all the other Aussie jobs and industries that have been, or soon will be, offshored: Textile, clothing, and footwear factories, steel-making, oil refining, call centres, coastal shipping, etc... Plus China is buying the mining and agricultural geese that lay Australia's golden income eggs.
We went from new South Wales to new South Dakota to new South Tibet in 200 years. Why do we find independence so abhorrent? It's scary down here all by ourselves surrounded by vast oceans. We need a Big Brother to make us feel secure. Hence the 2500 US Marines to be based near Darwin to warn China: "We saw her first, Australia belongs to us." It's too late. When car-making goes, we'll be New South Tibet.
Now may be a good time to have your children taught Mandarin. In New South Tibet, the best jobs will go to Mandarin speakers. Kevin Rudd speaks fluent Mandarin. He knows what's coming.
Border protection, where are you? Too busy chasing refugees to rescue sinking Aussie jobs and lost industries.
