Toyota is pulling the pin in Australia too. 2017.

[D4D]

and it starts...

http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/call-to-drop-tariffs-on-imported-cars/story-e6frfku9-1226824360039

The federal government has been urged to axe the tariffs on imported vehicles after Toyota's decision to cease making cars in Australia from 2017. 
 
The Australian Automobile Association says the estimated $1 billion a year the government receives from the 5 per cent tariff should be returned to consumers.

"If tariffs were designed to help protect the local industry then there is no longer any justification to maintain them," association chief executive Andrew McKellar told ABC radio on Wednesday.

The AAA estimates the removal of tariffs could save the average new car buyer up to $2000.

Imported vehicles make up about 90 per cent of the new-car market.

[ScottT]

and it starts...

http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/call-to-drop-tariffs-on-imported-cars/story-e6frfku9-1226824360039

The federal government has been urged to axe the tariffs on imported vehicles after Toyota's decision to cease making cars in Australia from 2017. 
 
The Australian Automobile Association says the estimated $1 billion a year the government receives from the 5 per cent tariff should be returned to consumers.

"If tariffs were designed to help protect the local industry then there is no longer any justification to maintain them," association chief executive Andrew McKellar told ABC radio on Wednesday.

The AAA estimates the removal of tariffs could save the average new car buyer up to $2000.

Imported vehicles make up about 90 per cent of the new-car market.

This is only the beginning.

The drawn out exit of these Manufacturers is to ensure all avenues are explored before the final nail is hammered in.

Watch this space

[krisandkev]

People people people.  You are all missing one very important point.  At every election, be it federal or state, the result is always the same.  A dam politian gets voted in.     Kevin

[Bird]

People people people.  You are all missing one very important point.  At every election, be it federal or state, the result is always the same.  A dam politian gets voted in.     Kevin

na, I don't think theres been a genuine politician in decades. Just some fat **** with his own agenda to get his lifetime supply of freebys, and screw the lemmings.

[ras]

Krisandkev. So what options are available to change this?

[shanegtr]

Very sad to completly loose an industry. Unfortantly the writing has been on the wall for years, which past goverments of both parties have not seemed to do anything to help protect the industry.
Dont know where 50,000 people are going to get employment either - job adverts slowly sinking so not looking good on that front. And wasnt Abbot talking about welfare reform at some point......Most likely happen just in time for the plant closures.

[krisandkev]

Krisandkev. So what options are available to change this?

I wish I knew.  But I hope that most think they are doing the right thing.  It must be one of the most difficult jobs with so many differing opinions. Seriously, I could not do it.  Maybe what we need is a female to run the country     Kevin

[evolution]

I wish I knew.  But I hope that most think they are doing the right thing.  It must be one of the most difficult jobs with so many differing opinions. Seriously, I could not do it.  Maybe what we need is a female to run the country     Kevin

We had that it didn't work either.
For once I would like to see someone who is just a normal bloke/gal with some smarts about them (like some on here) end up in a position to really fix things.
IMO drop the salary that politicians get to the national average and get rid of the "paid for life" BS and I honestly think we would actually get some people in who are there to make a difference not just for the publicity.

Cheers
Evo

[Homer_Jay]

If they dropped the salaries and the entitlements, then no one would do it!

No matter what decision you make, you would always be 50% wrong! Even if you are 90% right (pun intended)  there may be 10% minority who would would scream so loud that the other 90% would start to change their minds!

Nah they can keep it.

Maybe they need to be paid more to get a better class of person as a Polly? Or does that just mean that more try to rort the system.

There is no answer. Just live your life and make the best of what you can.

[GeoffA]

na, I don't think theres been a genuine politician in decades. Just some fat **** with his (or her) own agenda to get his (or her) lifetime supply of freebys, and screw the lemmings.

There ya go.....fixed......

[edz]

Maybe the Guv vermin should introduce a national works program .... After all we arnt spending 10's off millions $ on propping up companies that fritter the hand outs away and no  troop deployments and operations in Afghanistan etc at the moment, cut back in Aid programs and spend that cash saved here on infrastructure...  Water, gas, road, rail corridore from Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney all the way up the Eastern coast to Cooktown... etc etc

[Bird]

Maybe the Guv vermin should introduce a national works program .... After all we arnt spending 10's off millions $ on propping up companies that fritter the hand outs away and no  troop deployments and operations in Afghanistan etc at the moment, cut back in Aid programs and spend that cash saved here on infrastructure...  Water, gas, road, rail corridore from Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney all the way up the Eastern coast to Cooktown... etc etc

again, don't bring logic into this...

[evolution]

what about the high speed rail network between Brisbane and Melbourne? Retrain xxx amount of people to help with the construction and maintenance of the lines, Get the manufacturers of parts to adjust to parts for high speed trains, and build the trains here.
plus then you have all the customer service jobs, management jobs, etc etc.
If everyone from the big 3 were retrained then there wouldn't be any job losses?
Ok a few might have to move, but there are worse things in the world

I know not as simple as that, but If it wanted to be done it could be done.

Cheers
Evo

[Bird]

what about the high speed rail network between Brisbane and Melbourne? Retrain xxx amount of people to help with the construction and maintenance of the lines, Get the manufacturers of parts to adjust to parts for high speed trains, and build the trains here.
plus then you have all the customer service jobs, management jobs, etc etc.
If everyone from the big 3 were retrained then there wouldn't be any job losses?
Ok a few might have to move, but there are worse things in the world

I know not as simple as that, but If it wanted to be done it could be done.

High Speed train - who would use it? There would have to be return for the investment of X billion$ for the investors -cause the Gov wont do it.. Soon as you have private enterprise involved it needs turn massive profits to be viable.... Unless it was a 20yr plan for return on investment I couldn't see it being cheap as airfares - which get you there in 2-3 hours.

But something has to change I agree - I am nowhere near as confident of my kids futures in this country as I was as little as 10 years ago. I see a very bleak future for kids in this country now.

[ras]

Imagine the lobbying by vested interests (airports and airlines, not to mention the owners of tills marine airport carpark against

[ras]

Oops. Spellchecker.  Tullamarine airport owners. We can't even get a rail link to the airport in melbourne.

[Bird]

We can't even get a rail link to the airport in melbourne.

Who would use it? Nobody uses the Sydney one and its expensive.

I'm leaving home with 2 kids and 5-8 suitcases heading for the airport to go to USA...  **DING DING DING** I'll take the train! YAY!
I start with a walk to the bus stop with bags, kids and ****... Get on the bus carrying the suitcases and kids, then the Franskton line train carrying the suitcases and kids again with no trolleys to town where I'll get robbed.

Then cause the train is 45 mins late or diverted finally get to Flinders St...
Sprint to another train 20 platforms and 3 levels over, while trying to keep kids and suitcases together.
Find suitcases and kids, and run up the platform to the airport for that 6am flight that has to be there at 4am....
Miss my flight cause that train was late too - I'm down $8000 - and have the pleasure of doing it in reverse to get home with screaming kids and wanting to stab anyone that looked at me.

When theres a shuttle bus for $40 from Franga, or taxi for ~$120 or limo for $80.

Jam that well and truly up your ring...

[achjimmy]

Train services to airports work well the world over. The Narita express from Tokyo intl airport to Tokyo is great is designed to accommodate travelers and luggage.  The Sydney airport link is very successful in terms of people using it just a tad expensive for what it is. Don't believe everything you read

In Japan fast trains are slowly taking market share of domestic air travel each year. A fast train Syd to Mel via Canberra would be great.

[ras]

In the past I have been a frequent business traveller to Sydney. I would definitely use a train link to the airport as long as the service frequency was good and the service us reliable.  However if there was a high speed rail link right into the city centre, I wouldn't need to go to the airport. These modes of transport won't suit all but if it takes a substantial percentage of cars off the road it will ease overall congestion. Should also ease the parking fees at Tullamarine which I believe are some of the most expensive in the world!

[Bird]

The Sydney airport link is very successful in terms of people using it just a tad expensive for what it is. Don't believe everything you read

That's surprising, mate of mine flies up there occasionally to visit family , and says regularly he has the train to himself.

as long as the service frequency was good and the service us reliable.

that's where it would fail..

[achjimmy]

That's surprising, mate of mine flies up there occasionally to visit family , and says regularly he has the train to himself.

Yeah it can be empty depending on the time, but it's the main east hills line now which even goes out and joins into Campbeltown now and certainly has plenty of passengers at peak. It's just you get screwed $18+ to exit at Dometic or international! Certainly a good service and quick to the city.

[Garfish]

The air train in bne is expensive, but it is a purpose built line with only 2 stops, domestic and international, is aimed at mum and dads on hols as the times don't allow the business commuter to use them unless you fly in the middle of the day, can't remember the last time my boss said, just get to Sydney around lunch time and make sure you catch the 4 o'clock flt

[DropBearRacing]

High speed trains or very fast trains or whatever you want to call them are great in theory but the reality is the infrastructure in the main city's is just not adequate. If I wanted to go from Sydney to Melbourne or to Brisbane, I'm not going to drive to Sydney and park as the fee for long term parking somewhere close to central are going to be more than the trip itself.  So I would have to take a train to central. Unfortunately the Sydney -Newcastle line is overcrowded during peak, there is always some sort of work on the line during the weekends which means have to get on a bus to Hornsby and then don't mention the unexpected holdups like accidents, trees falling on the lines, heat causing breakdowns, idiots committing suicide etc etc etc and then let's not forget the unreliability  of the NSW public transport system. Trains running late is generally the norm.

They would have to put a high speed rail station somewhere near Newcastle Airport which would make it more accessible for Central Coast, Newcastle, Hunter residents.  Land is still pretty cheap around Newcastle airport compaired to capital cities so building large car parks would be cheaper so fees could be cheaper.  A dedicated line from the central coast, maitland etc direct to the airport would be needed. That all cost money, the state and federal gov's don't have that sort of cash and if the whole system was privatised then the cost for end users would be astronomical.

I just can't see it ever happening. I'd like to buy I just can't see it.