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South Australian premier hints at extra Holden funding

South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill has hinted Holden could receive additional government funding to help shore up its local manufacturing future.


Weatherill told News Limited he was prepared to go to great lengths to save Holden, though insisted the South Australian manufacturer would have to present a compelling business case and would not simply be handed money blindly.

“Of course, it's not a blank cheque, but we're prepared to do the appropriate things to make sure there's a long-term sustainable future for Holden in South Australia,” Weatherill said.

News Limited last week reported Holden was chasing an extra $265 million in taxpayer money in addition to the $275 million already promised by the federal, South Australian and Victorian governments to continue building cars in Australia.

A source close to CarAdvice confirmed the changing economy had forced Holden to reassess its business plan and renegotiate with the government for an expansion of its co-investment deal.

Weatherill confirmed over the weekend that Holden has not yet put forward an official request for additional funding to his government.

Executives from Holden parent company General Motors will reportedly meet in September to discuss the future of its Australian manufacturing operations.

The premier said he was prepared to meet with GM executives in Detroit before then in a further show of support for the manufacturer and the local industry.

“I'll do whatever is necessary to make sure that we get the right arrangements for Holden,” he said. “I think that this is going to be dealt with in the near term.

“There's [also] some very important discussions to happen at a national level [that] we've been involved in.”

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