Adelaide a lost cause......

[JFEWSTER]

Sim

I guess it doesn't get much simpler than that.

It's all about perception. I can produce all the facts and figures in the world about how good an operation MMAL is (as opposed to the Jap operations where corruption seems to be endemic) but at the end of the day YOUR opinion will be formed by the the media rather than me.

And the media absolutely doesnt have a clue about the Australian operation. Every single word of it is all crap. It's almost like they want it to happen so they can say- see we told you so!

This is a world class operation. You can take my word for it.

Its a bit like the property boom at the moment. Acey and see change and xbenx can produce all the facts and figures in the world about how capital growth will continue into the future, simply because they have done ok in the last six months when the chicken littles were claiming the sky is falling,and how NOW is as good as anytime to invest in property, but at the end of the day, market perception is what really determines things.

It makes me sick to see the pollies grandstanding at this time saying things like "we're doing everything we can to help Mitsubishi". If they really wanted to help they would be telling the general public how much "help" they have given the other Australian car makers in recent years.


Remember- theres are many many ways to give money without giving money. As an example, how much "Government incentive" was provided to GMH to set up the new aluminium engine plant in Vic? Nobody complains about that do they.! It was much more than the Mitsubishi's Adelaide plant ever received.

Or what about Toyota shifting profits overseas using dubious means. Even the ATO had to get involved with that.

As far as I know, Mitsi's have only received 20 mill of the promised 80 odd. They have stated publicly that they are not seeking anymore than the original amount, and for that level of investment, Mitsi's was in turn going to invest 1 billion into S.A.

Also, some of the biggest machinery ever to make it's way into Adelaide on the back of a truck is soon to arrive. New presses for the new model. But I bet the media somehow turn that into a negative thing aswell.

Again, all of the above, strictly IMHO.

 

[Sim]

You make some good points there John - I don't have a clue what sort of "incentives" or "assistance" has been given to other manufacturers in various states - and I wouldn't be surprised if it were at least as much as what I perceive Mitsubishi's Adelaide operations have received.

Back to the original thread - perhaps that guy did have a point after all. If the SA Govt was serious about "saving" Mitsubishi, they would be going out of their way to tell the nation how great they are and what a fine job they are doing in production, new technology, etc etc. If that company is as important to SA as we are lead to believe, then it is in the governments own interest to help promote them - and there are literally hundreds of smaller companies who are out there innovating and creating new technologies as a direct result of involvement with Mitsubishi - and this is something that they need to be promoting too.

I fear the SA government are a bunch of clueless idiots. Then again, I fear the same is true for all the other governments we have, but at least some of them are a lot more vocal about stuff !

 

[XBenX]

Trade Minister and SA rep met with Mitsubishi yesterday I think... from the news clip yesterday it didnt seem too peachy... and the word from Japan was to withdraw from Au manuf.

Sorry its vague, was only half listening...

 

[Sim]

SMH has an article about it ... http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/05/17/1084783459832.html

The last two paragraphs sum it up...

Business daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun on Saturday reported Mitsubishi would close either its Australian engine plant or assembly factory under a major restructure.

But the SA Government has vowed to make it as expensive as possible for the car maker to quit Australia, including seeking the repayment of funds committed two years ago as part of an $85 million rescue package to try to ensure its survival.

At least the SA Govt seems to be willing to stand up for itself over these things - if they do pull out I think the govt should put its hand out for compensation from Mitsubishi over funding they have committed. It's going to need all the money it can get if they do decide to close !

Perhaps we can convince another manufacturer to consider buying the plants ?

 

[Fester]

Lost cause .. phooey!!

This is the place now to invest people!!

http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,9611891%5E20221,00.html

 

[JFEWSTER]

Hey fester

Have I got some deals for you!

I lost my job today, so did my father in law and brother in law. 2 months ago my other brother in law was made redundant from sola optical (across the road). As was my friend from the refinary (across the railway line)

Last year my wife and her sister were also made redundant from sola.

And this week my twin brother found that the trucking company that "head hunted' him three months ago to drive gass tankers to Roxby, thereby encouraging him to give up a lesser paid but more secure job elsewhere, has just anounced it will fold in two weeks due to the Mobil pullout from Aust.

In the case of all four companies I blame globalisation but with Mitsubishi I blame in particular the Australian media for not talking up the benefits of the operation. There was plenty to talk UP but they didnt!

Hell- there was even an artical in the SMH (i think) this week that said a Mitsubishi pullout was a good thing!

Tonsley is in the clear for the time being, but without car sales due to piss poor media support- how long is that going to last?

To you eastern states ******s who dont know what your talking about- come and buy! But I remind you, its about investing, not collecting, and if you reckon you can make money in this part of the market- good luck to you. We need dickheads like you to prop up the prices!

And here is some goss for you. The media scrum was in full force outside the gates today. The reception they received was extremely hostile. One was even decked. They (the media) are totally to blame for this mess and many employees expressed this opinion with no holds barred, but i bet you didnt see them presenting this view on tv tonight!

Bearing in mind that I didnt see any of this coming- lucky I'm somewhat conservative when it comes to property investing. Lucky I have recently sold the "highly negatively geared ones" for top dollar. Lucky I didnt do as many of my fellow workmates have done and buy at the top of the market (actually i did buy but it was for a better PPOR and I paid cash).

Lucky I used my own "gut feel" and didnt listen to the fanatics on this forum.

 

[duncan_m]

I lost my job today, so did my father in law and brother in law. 2 months ago my other brother in law was made redundant from sola optical (across the road). As was my friend from the refinary (across the railway line)

John,

Sorry to hear about your job loss, hope it all works out for you and your family.

Regards,

Duncan
(Fellow Adelaide Investor)

 

[Aceyducey]

JFewster,

I'm sorry to hear about your job loss & ditto for your family members & all of those involved.

I'm been through similar events in the past and appreciate how you must feel.

I appreciate how angry and frustrated you are and how you feel the need to strike out.

However be careful about how you express your feelings and who you target - you may be aiming in the wrong direction and creating needless illwill.

All the best to your family moving forward. I know there are many people committed to finding a creative solution to ensure workers affected by the closure receive all their benefits & pathways into new (and hopefully better) jobs.

Cheers,

Aceyducey

 

[Corsa]

Dear John

I am sorry to hear about your recent job loss. I dont' possibly begin to understand the position you are in at the moment but my Dad has been working for a subsidiary of Mitsibishi; Hendersons for 3 years until recently and they have been retrenching for the last 2 years because of the uncertainty with the production line. My Dad was recently "demoted" due to the issues with retrenchment and roles etc, but still expected to perform the same job role, very upsetting not only for my Dad but for my whole family.

Please accept my kind wishes to both you and your family and I truly wish you all the best and the strength to get through this time of uncertainty.

Kind regards

Corsa

 

[adaran01]

I think the only way the big M wil stay in Adelaide is if they do the following :
Make a car that looks better than the commodore.
Make a car that is more powerful than the commodore.
Whatever you do, don't call it a Magna.

Look at the Mazda 3 and 6, what a fantastic looking car, when I see one go past it makes me want to buy one (free advertising). I have never been keen on Mazdas, but I would make an exception with these cars. All Mitsubishi has to do is come up with a car that looks that good both inside and out. I really dont think marketing is as important as the car itself. All the marketing in the world did not help Ford with their Forte, mainly because it looked like a cockroach. You could show me all the reliability statistics in the world and I still would not buy one.
Mitsubishi had a great marketing scheme, with all the people singing in the cars, I must admit I sometimes sang along, but I still did not want to buy one.

As far as Adelaide is concerned the following would help;

Stop pulling down our historic buildings, this is not progress. Do you think Paris would be better off if some slick developer convinced the city to whip down the Notre dame, or the other land marks I can't spell.

Stop arguing over Hindmarsh square, its an ugly cold/ hot wet noisy block of cement surrounded by ugly blocks of cement and 3 main roads.

Concentrate on the parklands that surround and follow the torrens river. This is such a pretty place. Sensibly develop around this area (not necassarily on it) so that the torrens becomes a focal point of the city. Put cafe's, restuarants and other tourist related businesses close to this location. Have the zoo extended to include the area directly behind it (that includes the torrens).
In this area , make it a non paying zone where people cycling, or walking along the banks can admire some animals that could be strategicaly placed so as to appear to be roaming free, yet would still be secure and safe from the general public (this would entice people to pay and view the entire zoo).

Extend the botanic gardens to include the torrens river, and have a halfway zone between there and the botanic gardens so that you dont know where the gardens start and the city ends.
Get rid of that road that joins Hackney rd ? and comes out near the zoo bridge frome rd?, it spoils the area.
Allow reasturants and cafes, and some small scale appropriate shops to be built (single storey, wooden structures that can be removed without damaging the land ie; no large concrete foundations).

Take a small thermonuclear device and blow up Hindley street and start again, send the ferals elsewhere.

Adelaide would then become a destination people want to come and see instead of a backwater it is now
Oh and stop killing the Koalas on kangaroo island, shoot the land owners instead, surely of the vast amount of money this small marsupial brings into this country, a small portion can be funnelled to solving this problem humanely.

Koalas do not bread like rabbits, this problem must have been known for a very long time.
The park rangers who are jumping up and down saying we need to kull 20000 koalas to solve the problem, my question is why haven't you been doing your job properly, this situation should never have occured.
The landowners on the island agreed that the koalas needed to be kulled almost as fast as they would agree to clear another 1000 acres of native vegatation, if thats not hypocritical I don't know what is.

I have been to kangaroo island many times, and spent lots of money, I will never go again, and If the decision is made to kill these animals (because of starvation) then I sincerley hope the tourists stop going there too.

While im on the subject of conservation, I have no problem with brave wealthy businessmen or women coming over to hunt the crocodiles for pleasure, as long as the only weapon they can use is a hunting knife, I'd pay to see that.

 

[Sim]

I think the only way the big M wil stay in Adelaide is if they do the following :
Make a car that looks better than the commodore.
Make a car that is more powerful than the commodore.
Whatever you do, don't call it a Magna.

Agree - time for a fresh start

Look at the Mazda 3 and 6, what a fantastic looking car, when I see one go past it makes me want to buy one (free advertising). I have never been keen on Mazdas, but I would make an exception with these cars. All Mitsubishi has to do is come up with a car that looks that good both inside and out. I really dont think marketing is as important as the car itself.

Agree - Mazda have done a fantastic job in reinventing their cars - they look great, and I know a heap of people who have already gone out and bought one.

Stop pulling down our historic buildings, this is not progress. Do you think Paris would be better off if some slick developer convinced the city to whip down the Notre dame, or the other land marks I can't spell.

Stop arguing over Hindmarsh square, its an ugly cold/ hot wet noisy block of cement surrounded by ugly blocks of cement and 3 main roads.

Concentrate on the parklands that surround and follow the torrens river. This is such a pretty place. Sensibly develop around this area (not necassarily on it) so that the torrens becomes a focal point of the city. Put cafe's, restuarants and other tourist related businesses close to this location. Have the zoo extended to include the area directly behind it (that includes the torrens).
In this area , make it a non paying zone where people cycling, or walking along the banks can admire some animals that could be strategicaly placed so as to appear to be roaming free, yet would still be secure and safe from the general public (this would entice people to pay and view the entire zoo).

Extend the botanic gardens to include the torrens river, and have a halfway zone between there and the botanic gardens so that you dont know where the gardens start and the city ends.
Get rid of that road that joins Hackney rd ? and comes out near the zoo bridge frome rd?, it spoils the area.
Allow reasturants and cafes, and some small scale appropriate shops to be built (single storey, wooden structures that can be removed without damaging the land ie; no large concrete foundations).

Take a small thermonuclear device and blow up Hindley street and start again, send the ferals elsewhere.

Adelaide would then become a destination people want to come and see instead of a backwater it is now

Agree with all of that too - some good ideas there too, especially about the zoo. Adelaide has some great assets, if the Government and councils think a little longer term they could create something really great with what they have.

mmm... perhaps it's time for me to move back to Adelaide and get in to politics

 

[JFEWSTER]

Thankyou all. Your kind words do help.

Less whiskey in the blood today. Shouldnt post whilst pissed

About the car comments. I think everyone at mitsi's knows what has to happen. But we do what the Japs say.

I still think the Australian media has a lot to answer for. Once these jobs are gone they dont come back. If we were selling more cars they probably wouldnt have gone.

I worry about the future for my 3 year old daughter.

 

[ChrisOs]

Hi John.
Very sorry to hear the news about the Lonsdale plant closure and the dreadful impact this will have on you, your colleagues, families and the southern communities in particular.

I find the Advertiser's recent campaigns pathetic. I must admit, after the first couple of days I stopped reading the articles. Getting people to send in their messages of concern will have virtually no effect on the outcome. Urging people to buy Magnas would. I may have missed it, but I never saw this message being pushed, when at the end of the day, it would be the one thing that makes a difference.

Here's hoping that other jobs will be created over the coming months to relieve the pain that you are experiencing.

Regards,
Chris.