Let’s just face it, fuel prices will keep rising, and no matter how good or honest a PM Australia may have, there’s no stopping this trend. It’s the world market that dictates everything, or maybe how many people are shot in Iraq. Oil supply is depleting and will eventually run. Hybrids still need to be made cheaper and at the moment, these are bought mainly for environmental purposes and not fuel saving (due to the high premium over a comparable petrol car). For now, it’s all about taking it easier on the pedal.

The hybrid camry deal is the same as fuelwatch – be seen to be doing something, without actually doing anything of any significance, soemthing that will fool the vast majority of (uneducated) voters that voted them in.
Then when it all falls in a heap they can cover their collective butts and say “look we tried”

The former boss of the manufacturing workers union says the Government could be buying “a pig in a poke” with the Camry deal. In other words, Kevin Rudd has signed the deal in a hurry without really understanding what he’s getting.

“What disturbs me about it is that it seems to me we’re buying old technology,” he has told the The Sydney Morning Herald.

He has a point. The Camry hybrid we’ll get is based on the same technology as the current Prius, which is essentially almost a decade old. By 2010, both General Motors and Toyota are aiming to have much more efficient plug-in hybrids based on the latest battery technology.

So why has the Government been so keen to secure the deal? And why is it giving the world’s most profitable car company a $35 million hand-out when the company itself says it was going to bring the hybrid Camry to Australia anyway?

Add to that the fact that all the components for the hybrid drivetrain in the Camry will be imported from Japan, and the net worth to Australia of the deal begins to become a little dubious.

Senator Campbell suggests the generosity may be tied in with local manufacturing jobs more than genuine environmental concerns.

Toyota has been very vocal about the fact that its Australian manufacturing operation, including its export business, is looking less attractive to head office because of the high labour costs and the strength of the Australian dollar.

Senior management says the local operation’s biggest threat isn’t Holden and Ford, but other Toyota plants around the world. The company now has Camry plants in seven countries around the globe, including China, Russia and Thailand.

Was Mr Rudd’s decision more about keeping Camry production in Australia and less about delivering a greener future for Australian motorists?

After all, 10,000 hybrid Camrys, some of which are likely to substitute for Priuses, are hardly going to put much of a dent in our automotive industry’s global footprint, given that Australians buy one million new cars every year.

So do you think Senator Campbell’s on the money or is the Camry deal an important step towards a greener future for the Australian car industry?

Richard Blackburn

Posted on June 23, 2008 4:24 PM

I paid the equivalent of $2.70 per litre of diesel to fill up my car earlier today. The last time I fill it before it’s sold and we move to Australia.

In Australia I’ll be damn grateful that I can drive a car that isn’t some nasty 1.6L diesel tractor and can drive something a bit more fun and still safe a bag load on fuel.

So really, gentlemen, a bit of perspective may not hurt here. I’m sure you’re all aware of how important it is to curb rampant petrochemical demand. Now all we need to do is stop China from subsidizing their fuel…

NM response……seems like you have a memory like sawdust. Ten rate rises under Howard is not much when he was there for 11years. Its zealous zits like you who have a jaded view of things and are full of your own self importance. Inflation, employment and budget where kept at great levels……you are seeing a correction now as Crudd (i.e. the chairman master and gabfest king) is now having trouble keeping wages low as many areas are asking for massive pay increases and even a lower working week is being mooted (PERFECT INGREDIENTS TO TOSS INTO THE BREW OF INCREASED INFLATION). Obviously you leave out massive blocks of recall from that sieve enveloped in your brain and only see selective heaps!

NM RESPONSE….get over your comment. Era is not Howard anymore! Focus on gabfest on chairman Rudd engages in and see little follow through whereas he only symphasises with the public on petrol prices! LMAO

Unfortunately it’s only going to get worse for the average earner in Australia. Wages have gone backwards in real teams for average worker over the past 12 years and this is irrefutable.

Rudd has to keep the brakes on Wage inflation despite skilled labour shortage etc. Part of a Global economy where multinationals like Car manufacturers play each Country off against one another.

Living standards in developed countries will have to fall for the majority as China/Indian etc come on line and demand more of the worlds resources and a higher standard of living. The pie is only so big and these countries are now taking a bigger slice. Massive educated middle class in India providing cheap labour for Call Centres,Back of house processing, IT development/Architecture etc. Modern cheap telecoms makes it possible to place all these jobs in predominately English speaking India.

Lower labour costs in these counties will also eventually wipe out manufacturing in the West combined with cheaper operating environments i.e pump shit in the nearest river etc.

Climate change will reduce our Agricultural output over time as well.

Thank god for the mining industry!

Not only that but I believe that the Govt just handed down a Surplus budget meaning they will receve more than they spend so yet again it would be nice if they spent a bit of that surplus on the roads etc

He feels our pain.. BS hes the A-hole inflicting it on us

2. Why keep harping on about interest rates if it’s not the ONLY indicator of the health of our economy??

Interest rates can be quite irrelevant if you don’t take cost of food etc into account also…

KRudd is out of touch and less than a year in, out of ideas.

Adam,
1. NO, only their take. The Libs did that. (Qld still does it!) Although Keating did lock us into world parity pricing.
2. NO. And my statement of fact didn’t alude to it eirther.

The Libs reduced the (Federal) excice by 6.3 cpl when the (State revenue) GST of 4.4 cpl was added. Petrol was immediately cheaper.

Mum, Dad & 2 kids average wage earners have always been better off under Liberal. KRudd is continuing the trend.

1.So in effect fuel prices in your opinion, can be controlled by the goverment in power at that time?

2.Interest rates are the only indicative factor to the health of our economy/affordability???

Adam, YES the Libs DID reduce tax on fuel, effectively on several occaisions.

Firstly, when GST was introduced petrol went DOWN some 2 cpl, to (over) compensate for GST on excise.

Secondly, at least twice the Liberal govt suspended the annual CPI indexing of the fuel excise. KRudd had the same opportunity recently – no way did he do it, up it went.

And lets not forget that it was Australia’s worst ever PM, Paul Keating who actually introduced the annual indexing of the excise in the first place.

Interest rates, for my entire adult life, have always been higher under a Labor govt – fact of life. Also, all spending cuts to “my” industry have come from a Labor govt.

Simple…

So what…