Elizabeth South Australia has since 1948 had General motors America called here as General Motors Holden producing motor vehicles for local and export . For the past few years the federal and local governments have been subsidising with millions of dollars to keep the factory open .
Mitsubishi also had a factory here as well but closed it down a few years back. Ford in Melbourne are shutting down in 2016 , now we have Holden saying they are considering shutting down also if things do not improve .
The C E O of GM is in Australia meeting with government officials and union secretaries to find a way to keep operating till at least 2022. First off they have asked union members to take a two year wage freeze , then they offered redundancy payments for those wishing to retire to cut the work force down .
Union members in SA voted to accept the agreement and now are waiting for those in Victoria where a smaller plant operates to vote as well , now the SA government have offered millions of dollars to Holden in support if they stay here in Elizabeth .
We certainly don't need another Detroit here with car making, its not only Holden at stake its all the local suppliers as well