The death of Holden
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11:01 am, February 18th, 2020 - 43 comments
Categories: australian politics, Economy, tech industry, uncategorized, Unions, workers' rights -
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Now, you may well think: why does this matter to me?
Thousands of households across New Zealand heard the announcement of the complete death of the Holden marque this week, as the death of one of the greatest binaries and one of the most closely teased and contested brands of all: Holden versus Ford.
If you go to any one of the dozens of speedways across New Zealand from Kaikohe to Waikaraka Park to Hamilton to New Plymouth and all the way to Invercargill, this is an issue over which drinks are bought and spilled, jeers over branded jackets and shirts, fist-fights break out, tens of thousands of dollars and man-hours are spent on parts and paint jobs and sponsors, girlfriends and boyfriends are evaluated, and plentiful technical arguments are pitched across verandas and garages. My wife is from a Ford family, my brother is Holden, and it is deeply multi-generation tribal.
The story of Holden began wayyy back as a South Australian saddlery maker, and evolved from car upholstery and tramcars to becoming merged as General Motors-Holden in 1931. But there’s a true step-change through World War 2. On November 28 1949 Prime Minister Chifley unveiled the first all-Australian motor car. 18,000 Australians signed up to buy one without even seeing it. It was a great patriotic moment.
The policy engine for all of this came from a New Zealand economist, Sir Douglas Berry Copland, who became the most influential Australian economic figure of his era. This is particularly apparent in the direction of the 1940s Acting Federal Treasurer Percy Spender, who was critical to organizing Australia’s private manufacturing capacity to the war effort putting all human and physical resources to work.
Essentially, Fordist heavy production lines met the necessity of the war effort, and the rise of the Holden-GM relationship to conquer Australia was borne.
By 1958, Holden totally dominated car purchases with 40% of all cars sold. There was the FJ, the FB, the HQ, and then in 1978 the mighty Commodore. Even against the mighty new Japanese car brands like Datsun and Honda and Toyota, Holden continued to dominate.
Ford started to cut in during the early 1980s, with challenges writ large in the great Bathurst and the regional touring car champs that focused the public mind on these two brands above all else.
Both the long-running Hawke (Labor) and Howard (Liberal National coalition) governments created a pool of public funds to assist the local automotive manufacturing industry. These included Ford Australia, GM Holden Australia, Mitsubishi Australia, and Toyota Australia.
Manufacturing and owning and driving Australian-built cars was a massive part of Being Australian. You can still see that preference on their roads today.
It wasn’t until 1991 that Toyota finally bested Holden for market share. But Holden still employed over 7,000 people in 2003.
By the 2010s, Holden was being propped up with state and federal subsidies twice the level of any other car manufacturer. Australia really wanted to keep Holden in heavy manufacturing.
They stopped making Holdens in Australia in 2017, and this week we hear of the news that all the dealerships and all the workers and all the design function will be gone.
What these closures have meant is that heavy industrialization is now well into the completion of deindustrialization, as noted here in the South Australian impact.
The old, clearly stratified layers of class and all the subcultures that surround it live on still but in far fainter forms. It is an old, proud, unionized history, fading far slower than it has in New Zealand. They had signaled in 2013 that they were winding manufacturing down.
New Zealand had similar arrangements between car manufacturers and the Todd family, who owned many dealerships and key manufacturing plants in the Hutt Valley. But they’ve been gone for many decades.
Back in the 1940s, the Australian economy was a much narrower economy. Similar to ours. It was as highly regulated and protected as ours. New cars were incredibly hard to obtain both there and here.
And now, there are still indirect ways for Federal and State governments to direct the kind of industry they want, but vehicles are no longer any part of that. Many have wistfully opined that there’s still a place for manufacturing, but it simply hasn’t changed government policy direction at all.
And so, the jackets will be patched up and won’t be renewed, Mt Panorama will roar to more diverse brands. Old union hands will recall the days they could drive off in the things they made.
The great patriotic union of class and state and nation is gone.
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- No-cause evictions leave no hope for rentersThe Government’s introduction of legislation that would enable landlords to end tenancies with no reason marks a dark day for the 1.4 million people who rent their home in Aotearoa. ...1 week ago
- Release: National winding back mental health workThe Minister for Mental Health has found the Suicide Prevention Office and mental health support for 111 calls slipping through his fingers, says Labour spokesperson for Mental Health Ingrid Leary. ...2 weeks ago
- Government ignorant of evidence in neglect of tamarikiToday’s justification from the Minister for Children for scrapping protections for our tamariki was either a case of ignorance or deliberate deception. ...2 weeks ago
- Gang policy setting communities up for failureThe Green Party says the Government’s misguided policy on gangs will fail, following the announcement of the establishment of a national gang unit and district gang disruption units to target gang activities. ...2 weeks ago
- Statement from police spokesperson Ginny Andersen“With Police pay negotiations still unresolved after six months in Government, Mark Mitchell has today rolled the Commissioner out for a rebrand of their approach to gang crime,” Labour police spokesperson Ginny Andersen said. ...2 weeks ago
- Charter schools not a serious solutionWe need serious investment and solutions into our education system, not a vanity project from David Seymour. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Ideological charter schools won’t increase achievementThe Government bringing back 50 charter schools will not increase achievement and is a distraction from the core mission of the education system, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Visas needed for Palestinians with family in New ZealandThe Government must show some compassion and create a special visa to allow Palestinians with family in New Zealand to be reunited with them here. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt’s stubbornness will harm Māori childrenGovernment has remained stubborn and is ramming its Bill into the House today, which the Waitangi Tribunal has said will hurt vulnerable children. ...2 weeks ago
- ‘Lucky dip’ process too casual for hearing critical submissions on Fast Track approvals billTe Pāti Māori is showing extreme concern over the Environment Select Committees adoption of a lucky dip draw to determine hearings for the Fast Track Approvals bill. Of the 27,000 submissions, 2,900 requested to present. All organisations will be heard; however, the remaining 2,350 submitters will be subject to a ...2 weeks ago
- New Zealand First Member’s Bill to protect women’s spacesToday New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect women’s spaces. The ‘Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill’ will require, primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, that all new non-domestic publicly accessible buildings provide separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms. This Bill ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Support for climate adaptation inquiryLabour supports a Notice of Motion in the House today to move the Finance and Expenditure Committee to conduct an inquiry on climate adaptation. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens welcome cross-party approach to climate adaptationThe Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Sexual violence prevention among hundreds of job cuts at ACCThe National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...2 weeks ago
- Government shows allergy to evidence in benefits crackdownThe Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...2 weeks ago
- Minister of Finance reheats austerity politicsThis morning’s pre-Budget speech from the Minister of Finance offered no “meaningful” news on the Government’s trickle-down economics based plans. ...2 weeks ago
- A win for Wellington – Greens welcome more housingThe Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Backtrack on school lunches a win for Kiwi kidsDavid Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Hon Willie Jackson to debate at the Prestigious Oxford UnionHon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...3 weeks ago
- Major investment in teacher supply through Budget 24
Over the next four years, Budget 24 will support the training and recruitment of 1,500 teachers into the workforce, Education Minister Erica Stanford announced today. “To raise achievement and develop a world leading education system we’re investing nearly $53 million over four years to attract, train and retain our valued ...12 hours ago - Joint statement on the New Zealand – Cook Islands Joint Ministerial Forum – 20241. New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Rt Hon Winston Peters; Minister of Health and Minister for Pacific Peoples Hon Dr Shane Reti; and Minister for Climate Change Hon Simon Watts hosted Cook Islands Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Hon Tingika Elikana and Minister of Health Hon Vainetutai Rose Toki-Brown on 24 May ...1 day ago
- Middle East, Africa deployments extendedThe Government has approved two-year extensions for four New Zealand Defence Force deployments to the Middle East and Africa, Defence Minister Judith Collins and Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced today. “These deployments are long-standing New Zealand commitments, which reflect our ongoing interest in promoting peace and stability, and making active ...2 days ago
- Climate Change Commission Chair to retireThe Climate Change Commission Chair, Dr Rod Carr, has confirmed his plans to retire at the end of his term later this year, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Prior to the election, Dr Carr advised me he would be retiring when his term concluded. Dr Rod Carr has led ...2 days ago
- Inaugural Board of Integrity Sport & Recreation Commission announcedNine highly respected experts have been appointed to the inaugural board of the new Integrity Sport and Recreation Commission, Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Integrity Sport and Recreation Commission is a new independent Crown entity which was established under the Integrity Sport and Recreation Act last year, ...2 days ago
- A balanced Foreign Affairs budgetForeign Minister Winston Peters confirmed today that Vote Foreign Affairs in Budget 2024 will balance two crucial priorities of the Coalition Government. While Budget 2024 reflects the constrained fiscal environment, the Government also recognises the critical role MFAT plays in keeping New Zealanders safe and prosperous. “Consistent with ...2 days ago
- New social housing places to support families into homesNew social housing funding in Budget 2024 will ensure the Government can continue supporting more families into warm, dry homes from July 2025, Housing Ministers Chris Bishop and Tama Potaka say. “Earlier this week I was proud to announce that Budget 2024 allocates $140 million to fund 1,500 new social ...2 days ago
- New Zealand’s minerals futureIntroduction Today, we are sharing a red-letter occasion. A Blackball event on hallowed ground. Today we underscore the importance of our mineral estate. A reminder that our natural resource sector has much to offer. Such a contribution will not come to pass without investment. However, more than money is needed. ...3 days ago
- Government sets out vision for minerals futureIncreasing national and regional prosperity, providing the minerals needed for new technology and the clean energy transition, and doubling the value of minerals exports are the bold aims of the Government’s vision for the minerals sector. Resources Minister Shane Jones today launched a draft strategy for the minerals sector in ...3 days ago
- Government progresses Māori wards legislationThe coalition Government’s legislation to restore the rights of communities to determine whether to introduce Māori wards has passed its first reading in Parliament, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says. “Divisive changes introduced by the previous government denied local communities the ability to determine whether to establish Māori wards.” The ...3 days ago
- First RMA amendment Bill introduced to ParliamentThe coalition Government has today introduced legislation to slash the tangle of red and green tape throttling some of New Zealand’s key sectors, including farming, mining and other primary industries. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop says the Government is committed to unlocking development and investment while ensuring the environment is ...3 days ago
- Government welcomes EPA decisionThe decision by Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to approve the continued use of hydrogen cyanamide, known as Hi-Cane, has been welcomed by Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay. “The EPA decision introduces appropriate environmental safeguards which will allow kiwifruit and other growers to use Hi-Cane responsibly,” Ms ...3 days ago
- Speech to Employers and Manufacturers Association: Relief for today, hope for tomorrowKia ora, Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou kātoa Tāmaki Herenga Waka, Tāmaki Herenga tangata Ngā mihi ki ngā mana whenua o tēnei rohe Ngāti Whātua ō Ōrākei me nga iwi kātoa kua tae mai. Mauriora. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the EMA for hosting this event. Let me acknowledge ...3 days ago
- Government invests in 1,500 more social homesThe coalition Government is investing in social housing for New Zealanders who are most in need of a warm dry home, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. Budget 2024 will allocate $140 million in new funding for 1,500 new social housing places to be provided by Community Housing Providers (CHPs), not ...4 days ago
- $24 million boost for Gumboot FridayThousands more young New Zealanders will have better access to mental health services as the Government delivers on its commitment to fund the Gumboot Friday initiative, says Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey. “Budget 2024 will provide $24 million over four years to contract the ...4 days ago
- Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill passes first readingThe Coalition Government’s Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill, which will improve tenancy laws and help increase the supply of rental properties, has passed its first reading in Parliament says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “The Bill proposes much-needed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 that will remove barriers to increasing private ...5 days ago
- Montecassino Commemorative Address, Cassino War CemeteryStanding here in Cassino War Cemetery, among the graves looking up at the beautiful Abbey of Montecassino, it is hard to imagine the utter devastation left behind by the battles which ended here in May 1944. Hundreds of thousands of shells and bombs of every description left nothing but piled ...5 days ago
- First Reading – Repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989I present a legislative statement on the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill Mr. Speaker, I move that the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Social Services and Community Committee to consider the Bill. Thank you, Mr. ...5 days ago
- First reading of 7AA’s repeal: progress for childrenThe Bill to repeal Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has had its first reading in Parliament today. The Bill reaffirms the Coalition Government’s commitment to the care and safety of children in care, says Minister for Children Karen Chhour. “When I became the Minister for Children, I made ...5 days ago
- China Business Summit 2024Kia ora koutou, good morning, and zao shang hao. Thank you Fran for the opportunity to speak at the 2024 China Business Summit – it’s great to be here today. I’d also like to acknowledge: Simon Bridges - CEO of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. His Excellency Ambassador - Wang ...5 days ago
- Assisted depatures from New CaledoniaForeign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed a New Zealand Government plane will head to New Caledonia in the next hour in the first in a series of proposed flights to begin bringing New Zealanders home. “New Zealanders in New Caledonia have faced a challenging few days - and bringing ...5 days ago
- Assisted departures from New CaledoniaForeign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed a New Zealand Government plane will head to New Caledonia in the next hour in the first in a series of proposed flights to begin bringing New Zealanders home. “New Zealanders in New Caledonia have faced a challenging few days - and bringing them ...5 days ago
- Government to rollout roadside drug testingThe Coalition Government will introduce legislation this year that will enable roadside drug testing as part of our commitment to improve road safety and restore law and order, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Alcohol and drugs are the number one contributing factor in fatal road crashes in New Zealand. In ...6 days ago
- Minister responds to review of Kāinga OraThe Government has announced a series of immediate actions in response to the independent review of Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “Kāinga Ora is a large and important Crown entity, with assets of $45 billion and over $2.5 billion of expenditure each year. It ...6 days ago
- Pseudoephedrine back on shelvesAssociate Health Minister David Seymour is pleased that Pseudoephedrine can now be purchased by the general public to protect them from winter illness, after the coalition government worked swiftly to change the law and oversaw a fast approval process by Medsafe. “Pharmacies are now putting the medicines back on their ...6 days ago
- New Zealand-China Business SummitTēnā koutou katoa. Da jia hao. Good morning everyone. Prime Minister Luxon, your excellency, a great friend of New Zealand and my friend Ambassador Wang, Mayor of what he tells me is the best city in New Zealand, Wayne Brown, the highly respected Fran O’Sullivan, Champion of the Auckland business ...7 days ago
- New measures to protect powerlines from treesEnergy Minister Simeon Brown has announced that the Government will make it easier for lines firms to take action to remove vegetation from obstructing local powerlines. The change will ensure greater security of electricity supply in local communities, particularly during severe weather events. “Trees or parts of trees falling on ...1 week ago
- Wairarapa Moana ki Pouakani win top Māori dairy farming awardWairarapa Moana ki Pouakani were the top winners at this year’s Ahuwhenua Trophy awards recognising the best in Māori dairy farming. Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka announced the winners and congratulated runners-up, Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board, at an awards celebration also attended by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister ...1 week ago
- DJ Fred Again – Assurance report received"On the 27th of March, I sought assurances from the Chief Executive, Department of Internal Affairs, that the Department’s correct processes and policies had been followed in regards to a passport application which received media attention,” says Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden. “I raised my concerns after being ...1 week ago
- District Court Judges appointedAttorney-General Judith Collins has announced the appointment of three new District Court Judges, to replace Judges who have recently retired. Peter James Davey of Auckland has been appointed a District Court Judge with a jury jurisdiction to be based at Whangarei. Mr Davey initially started work as a law clerk/solicitor with ...1 week ago
- Unions should put learning ahead of ideologyAssociate Education Minister David Seymour is calling on the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) to put ideology to the side and focus on students’ learning, in reaction to the union holding paid teacher meetings across New Zealand about charter schools. “The PPTA is disrupting schools up and down the ...1 week ago
- Craig Stobo appointed as chair of FMACommerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly today announced the appointment of Craig Stobo as the new chair of the Financial Markets Authority (FMA). Mr Stobo takes over from Mark Todd, whose term expired at the end of April. Mr Stobo’s appointment is for a five-year term. “The FMA plays ...1 week ago
- Budget 2024 invests in lifeguards and coastguardSurf Life Saving New Zealand and Coastguard New Zealand will continue to be able to keep people safe in, on, and around the water following a funding boost of $63.644 million over four years, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “Heading to the beach for ...1 week ago
- New Zealand and Tuvalu reaffirm close relationshipNew Zealand and Tuvalu have reaffirmed their close relationship, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand is committed to working with Tuvalu on a shared vision of resilience, prosperity and security, in close concert with Australia,” says Mr Peters, who last visited Tuvalu in 2019. “It is my pleasure ...1 week ago
- New Zealand calls for calm, constructive dialogue in New CaledoniaNew Zealand is gravely concerned about the situation in New Caledonia, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The escalating situation and violent protests in Nouméa are of serious concern across the Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “The immediate priority must be for all sides to take steps to de-escalate the ...1 week ago
- New Zealand welcomes Samoa Head of StatePrime Minister Christopher Luxon met today with Samoa’s O le Ao o le Malo, Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, who is making a State Visit to New Zealand. “His Highness and I reflected on our two countries’ extensive community links, with Samoan–New Zealanders contributing to all areas of our national ...1 week ago
- Island Direct eligible for SuperGold Card fundingTransport Minister Simeon Brown has announced that he has approved Waiheke Island ferry operator Island Direct to be eligible for SuperGold Card funding, paving the way for a commercial agreement to bring the operator into the scheme. “Island Direct started operating in November 2023, offering an additional option for people ...1 week ago
- Further sanctions against RussiaForeign Minister Winston Peters today announced further sanctions on 28 individuals and 14 entities providing military and strategic support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Russia is directly supported by its military-industrial complex in its illegal aggression against Ukraine, attacking its sovereignty and territorial integrity. New Zealand condemns all entities and ...1 week ago
- One year on from Loafers LodgeA year on from the tragedy at Loafers Lodge, the Government is working hard to improve building fire safety, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I want to share my sincere condolences with the families and friends of the victims on the anniversary of the tragic fire at Loafers ...2 weeks ago
- Pre-Budget speech to Auckland Business ChamberKa nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much for having me here in the lead up to my Government’s first Budget. Before I get started can I acknowledge: Simon Bridges – Auckland Business Chamber CEO. Steve Jurkovich – Kiwibank CEO. Kids born ...2 weeks ago
- Top economists take a modest view of the budget, and doubt inflation will fall as planned
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Wes Mountain/The Conversation, CC BY-ND Asked to grade Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ third budget on his own criteria of delivering on “inflation in the near term and then growth ...2 hours ago - West Papua independence group slams French ‘modern-day colonialism’Asia Pacific Report A West Papuan independence group has condemned French “modern-day colonialism in action” in Kanaky New Caledonia and urged indigenous leaders to “fight on”. In a statement to the Kanak pro-independence leadership, exiled United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) president Benny Wenda said the proposed electoral changes ...3 hours ago
- $53m extra for teacher training, recruitment, Education Minister Erica Stanford announces
The investment is designed to address teacher shortages, and moving training into the classroom, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. ...4 hours ago - Hunger Striker Destroys Christopher Luxon’s Defense Of Gaza Action
“The situation in Gaza is desperate,” Will Alexander said. “It’s obvious to everyone that if Christopher Luxon truly cared, our government could do a lot more.” ...7 hours ago - Parliament's election inquiry told blame lies in outdated lawsParliament begins its election inquiry with a double-header and finds that blame is something of a boomerang. ...7 hours ago
- ANALYSIS: By Nicole George, The University of Queensland New Caledonia’s capital city, Nouméa, has endured widespread violent rioting over the past three days. This crisis intensified rapidly, taking local authorities by surprise. Peaceful protests had been occurring across the country in the preceding weeks as the French National Assembly in ...8 hours ago
- The Fiji Times: Public outcry over Fijians’ MPs pay riseEDITORIAL: By Fred Wesley, editor-in-chief of The Fiji Times So 40 Fiji members of Parliament voted in favour of the Special Committee on Emoluments Report on the review of MPs’ salaries, allowances and benefits in Parliament on Friday. Now that’s not going down well with the masses, with many venting ...9 hours ago
- NZ spent $113m helping build and use US military satellitesThe money includes $15m towards sending up two new, much more powerful satellites. ...14 hours ago
- An Ode to .. Chris Bishop
First Hovel Grant Bishop Chris ventured out of the High Keep For his annual tour of the slums of the Holey Land. His litter bearers held his palanquin high Above the muck strewn and dilapidated alleys Of the Capital. The menials and peons swarmed around And pleaded for Alms from ...14 hours ago - A way forward for New CaledoniaOpinion: Following France’s President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to New Caledonia on Thursday, attention has turned to the country’s political future beyond the ongoing crisis. The uprising, which began on May 14, has demonstrated the capacity and determination of those involved to shut down the country and to inflict extensive economic ...14 hours ago
- Open letter from Kanaky: Things are really bad, we need to speed up decolonisationAsia Pacific Report By a Kanak from Aotearoa New Zealand in Kanaky I’ve been trying to feel cool and nice on this beautiful sunny day in Kanaky. But it has already been spoiled by President Emmanuel Macron’s flashy day-long visit on Thursday. Currently special French military forces are trying to ...20 hours ago
- PNG landslide: Survivors of highlands disaster desperately seeking helpRNZ Pacific The survivors of a massive landslide in a remote village in Papua New Guinea’s highlands are still waiting for official help, more than 24 hours after the disaster. Hundreds are feared dead in Yambali village in Enga province after the landslide bulldozed homes and buried families alive early ...21 hours ago
- Local officials fear fate of 300 missing people in remote PNG landslideBy Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby The United States has said it is “ready to lend a helping hand” to the people of Mulitaka, Enga province, after a devasting landslide swallowed an entire village in Papua New Guinea’s highlands yesterday. US President Joe Biden and his wife said in a ...1 day ago
- Politics with Michelle Grattan: Andrew Bragg flags a coalition would use ‘coercion’ of the state...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Housing remains one of Australia’s most pressing issues in both state and federal politics. The RBA keeping rates up and high mortgage repayments have left many Australians struggling. For those Australians who don’t own a ...1 day ago
- Ours Not Mines Blasts Draft Minerals Plan Saying It Highlights The Current Government Lacks Economic...This plan lacks any thought on how to drive New Zealand forward. Giving away rare minerals owned by every New Zealander for a measly return of 2.1% to the crown last year is simply ludicrous. ...1 day ago
- Forest and Bird leader shut out of Shane Jones meeting by policeA West Coast conservation leader is lodging a complaint with Police after an officer barred her from a public meeting in Blackball, called by Resources Minister Shane Jones. The NZ First politician was in the historic coal-mining town on Thursday to launch the Government’s new draft minerals strategy, promising to ...1 day ago
- The Weekend: Working through life regrets in real time
Editor Madeleine Chapman meets an old rival and wonders what could’ve been. Mōrena and welcome to The Weekend, where dreams and regrets have time and space to flower. What’s the thing in your life that you wish you had given more energy to? It could be a relationship, an exam, ...2 days ago - What it takes to be an Olympian and why you don’t have itThis year, Tori Peeters will compete at the Paris Olympics in the javelin. Ten years ago, Madeleine Chapman thought she might be in the same position. She talks to Peeters about what it takes to go all the way and mulls her own life decisions in the process. No New ...2 days ago
- ‘I was absolutely devastated’: Sara Wiseman on the moment she nearly quit actingThe star of High Country talks Tinkerbell, her love for Hawkeye Pierce and why a 98-year-old environmentalist is the most stylish man on television. Sara Wiseman has been a fixture on New Zealand television screens for nearly three decades. First appearing in Hercules and Xena Warrior Princess during the mid ...2 days ago
- At home with Brett and Angel, Married at First Sight NZ’s ‘fairytale’ coupleAlex Casey takes a trip to Lincoln to visit the only couple from the first season of Married at First Sight NZ that’s still together. To cross the threshold into Brett and Angel’s marital abode is to be greeted with a welcome that sums up the MAFSNZ season one golden ...2 days ago
- ‘There’s no better song to drink coffee to’: Troy Kingi’s perfect weekend playlistIn a new weekly interview series, we ask a different local artist to curate their dream weekend soundtrack. First up: Troy Kingi. Troy Kingi is a man on a well-documented mission to make 10 albums, in 10 genres, over 10 years. But finding himself creatively blocked while making his eighth ...2 days ago
- In the place I grew up, I am always lostReflections on a childhood split across Hong Kong and Auckland. The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand. I arrive in Hong Kong with my mother in the middle of summer. t’s not a good time to travel here, she tells me. It’s June. We’re ...2 days ago
- Palestine protesters call for Gaza press ‘solidarity’ at NZ media awardsPacific Media Watch Pro-Palestinian protesters dressed in blue “press” vests tonight staged a vigil calling on New Zealand journalists to show solidarity with the media of Gaza who have suffered the highest death toll in any war. They staged the vigil at the Viaduct venue of NZ’s annual Voyager Media ...2 days ago
- Behind job cuts are people, and they’re hurtingOpinion: Outside my house, the autumn breeze blows crisp leaves off trees and leaks through the gap in my ranchslider while I slump on my couch listening to our CEO announcing our restructure. With many ums and ahs, he reads his script, talking of “prioritisation,” “working differently,” and “reconceiving the ...2 days ago
- Taiwan’s democratic challenge to ChinaJust days after Taiwan’s new president called on China to stop making threats, Beijing has launched “punishment” military drills around the island. Everyone was watching to see what China’s reaction to the swearing in of President William Lai Ching-te would be. On Thursday night we found out. China had already ...2 days ago
- Short story: The End Was Wide Open, by James PasleyFor the past six weeks Annie has been sleeping with a teacher named Patrick Drury. Twice he has tried to call it an affair. Twice she has considered correcting him. But she likes how he looks when he says it. She likes that he’s older than her. That he’s recently ...2 days ago
- The Secret Diary of .. Fast-Track JonesMONDAY Fast-Track Jones stood in the shade beneath an awning of a train station and waited for the 3:10 to Blackball. He narrowed his eyes and studied the view. A water tower. A windmill. A cattle fence. All else was empty land. Locomotive smoke rose over the horizon. The 3:10 ...2 days ago
- Newsroom wins two leading honours at national journalism awardsA groundbreaking investigative podcast into the death of Gore three-year-old Lachie Jones has won Melanie Reid and Bonnie Sumner two notable awards at the Voyager Media Awards. Their in-depth reporting and nine-part first season of The Boy in the Water, which led to the case being reopened twice and preceded ...2 days ago
- Hundreds feared dead after huge landslide in Papua New GuineaBy Eleisha Foon, RNZ Pacific senior journalist Scores of people have died in a huge landslide which has struck a remote village in the Papua New Guinean highlands. The landslide reportedly hit Yambali village in Enga Province, about 600 km north-west of Port Moresby. The landslip has buried homes and ...2 days ago
- Government extends Defence Force deployments to Middle East and AfricaThe extended deployments include supporting UN efforts on contested Israel and Arab country borders. ...2 days ago
- As COVID cases rise again, what do I need to know about the new FLiRT variants?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lara Herrero, Research Leader in Virology and Infectious Disease, Griffith University Red-Diamond/Shutterstock We’ve now been living with COVID for well over four years. Although there’s still much to learn about SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID) at least one thing seems ...2 days ago
- Why a new ruling on the law of the sea and climate change matters for Australia and especially our i...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clive Schofield, Professor, Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS), University of Wollongong The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea has found countries are obliged to protect the oceans from climate change impacts under the law of the ...2 days ago
- The government’s cash splash aims to kickstart Australia’s battery industry. Has it flipped the ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Glen Thomas Currie, Energy Systems Program Impact Manager, Climateworks, Monash University, Monash University Basilico Studio Stock, Shutterstock Australia has a new National Battery Strategy, unveiled this week as a key part of the government’s Future Made in Australia agenda. The vision ...2 days ago
- Heavy water: how melting ice sheets and pumped groundwater can lower local sea levels – and boost...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca McGirr, Postdoctoral research fellow, Australian National University Bernhard Staehli/Shutterstock Imagine you’re standing near the edge of the Antarctic Ice Sheet, gazing out over the ocean, when the ice near you starts to melt very rapidly. A surge of meltwater flows ...2 days ago
- The Week in Politics: Willis sails against strong headwindsThe Finance Minister prepares to present one of the most difficult budgets, National MP David MacLeod gets himself into trouble and the First Home Buyers Grant is scrapped. ...2 days ago
- Paul Henry To Address New Zealanders At ACT RallyACT's 2024 rally, Change Makers, will take place at Auckland's Viaduct Events Centre at 12:30pm on 9 June. ...2 days ago
- Regional Development and Resources Minister's mine visits not publicisedShane Jones visited two mines on Thursday without revealing it until afterwards - then had a private lunch with mining industry representatives. ...2 days ago
- Iranian Solidarity Group New Zealand's Meeting With NZ Minister For Foreign Affairs Rt. Hon. Wi...The Iranian Solidarity Group NZ met with Minister For Foreign Affairs Rt. Hon. Winston Peters, urging the NZ government to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (the IRGC) as a terrorist organisation. The group continues to advocate for justice ...2 days ago
- 105 Silenced Journalists Of Gaza Honoured Outside Voyager Media AwardsOn 24th May, 6pm, Palestinian journalists covering Gaza will be honoured in a silent and visually impactful vigil outside Shed 10, 89 Quay Street, Auckland, where the Voyager Media Awards are being held. ...2 days ago
- The Matildas and Socceroos are soaring, while participation is growing – but the A-League is missi...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, Industry Professor and Chief Economist, University of Technology Sydney This should be a golden age for Australian soccer. After all, the big picture is good: the Matildas are waltzing, the Socceroos are well supported and Australia was just awarded hosting ...2 days ago
- The British election is Labour’s to lose. What would the UK–Australia relationship look like und...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Wellings, Associate Professor in Politics and International Relations, Monash University Assuming a Labour win in the UK general election – always a risky assumption given Labour’s proclivity for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory – the “Global Britain” bombast emanating ...2 days ago
- A rush on critical minerals is coming for our most remote and disadvantaged communitiesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deanna Kemp, Professor and Director, Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining, The University of Queensland King Ropes Access, Shutterstock The Australian mining industry was promised billions of dollars in last week’s federal budget to boost critical minerals such as lithium, copper ...2 days ago
- Greens Justice Spokesperson Tamatha Paul To Join Protest Against Waikeria ‘Megaprison’ At Mount ...The community group People Against Prisons Aotearoa is holding a protest against mass incarceration tomorrow against the Government’s proposed expansion of Waikeria prison. ...2 days ago
- Labour MP Willie Jackson becomes first Māori to take part in Oxford Union debateHe is the first MP since former prime minister David Lange to be asked to debate at Oxford. ...2 days ago
- What OpenAI’s deal with News Corp means for journalism (and for you)Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University Shutterstock OpenAI, the makers of ChatGPT, and News Corp, the international media conglomerate, have signed a deal that will let OpenAI use and learn from News Corp’s content. In ...2 days ago
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I forgot my families'own metallic cobalt blue column shift Kingswood station wagon. This replaced the Morris Oxford, about 1973.
My grandad had exactly the same cobalt blue Kingswood station wagon! I believe it was an HQ and they bought it new in the mid 70's. I distinctly remember it being kept in pristine condition right up until he and my grandmother finally traded it in for a Toyota hatchback in maybe '90/'91.
On reflection, the sale of that car was in some ways a herald of his own aging and demise. The mighty Kingswood was my grandfather as a bold and powerful WWII veteran. The replacement vehicle was smaller, softer – the car that he would quietly drive into a resthome on the day of his arrival and then hand the keys over to my uncles.
I'm reasonably confident we're not related, but still, great coincidence.
I was terrible in column shifts.
But it got us through a full childhood's worth of holidays up north.
One of our neighbours had a spray-shop in his basement and remade our rear door with the wind-down window in solid fiberglass after the real one rusted through. Worked great. Back in the day ….
M'eh, in watches and cars I'm Japanese through and through
the japanese domination of car making is now giving way to korean and chinese .the only american car maker on the rise is tesla . in the u.s. ford only sells two car models , they make more money selling pick up trucks to yahoos. the rightup completely misses the fact that g.m. is getting out of making rhd anything. kia, a korean company, makes cars in slovenia ,and is one of the three big sellers in europe. huge changes in the auto industry. china is by far,the biggest market and they have over 100 brands that we have never seen. g.m. has sold its thailand plant to great wall, because it wasnt profitable(?)your next car may very well be an electric, made in bangladesh, by a chinese company??
Sounds about right
Yup. The entire car industry is about to change totally; retiring the Holden brand is just a small opening move, and a smart one at that.
But don't right off the Americans just yet; they are capable of radically reinventing themselves.
Turns out the brand itself was barely holden together
I had an FJHolden about 40 years ago. A grand old tank and you had to be careful when stepping out of it because it was a long way off the ground. A hardy reliable beast.
My Commodore is great to drive but damn it costs a lot to maintain it. Major fixes incl: chain drive, sway bars, driveshaft sleeve, alignment (after being rear-ended). Tyres are $500 each and its a thirsty beast
Australians just stopped buying them
GM didn't help by producing too many models and not enough quality in the build.
Rurally they're not well built enough and my mechanic has them ranked down past all the Jap brands and just above VW who lead the euros then come the Korean/Chinese.
I drove a hire Cruze a few years back, it was an awful car for something brand new that the Ozzie taxpayers been subsidising !
Presumably this settles once and for all the Holden vs Ford thing – Ford wins by a TKO.
I'm a Ford man, but am sad to see the Holden badge disappear (I have owned a Holden before) as it's always been an Aussie / NZ icon. And sad to hear that if GM are not going to make cars to be driven on the LHS of the road, then it wont morph in to Ford v GM like in USA.
The odious neoliberal holden took jobs from our men. Now they might learn a lesson that they should have been nationalised from the very start.
Why would nationalisation have helped? That would just have meant the Australian taxpayers wearing increasing losses over the years.
Please excuse the nostalgia for a certain kind of managed capitalism.
Aw no! What'll the young men of Newcastle NSW use now fer cruisin' up and down Hunter Street?
https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-news/mad-max-turns-30-16692
I am pleasantly surprised to see most people here taking this in their stride and not blaming the demise of Holden on the "evils" of capitalism.
wrong site for that. go back to a site run by angry old white men, whale whatever or some stupid trumpfanboi site for handwringing about past glories.
People of a certain age may give one about Holden disappearing into the global production mix, though it will likely mean little to many of todays generations who do not get a drivers license until their mid 20s if at all.
Mainly owned Fords myself–still do–but Holdens were everywhere and recall a friends ’64 EH wagon with fibreglass replacement fenders and 2 speed auto that would not die, and two well off friends from Auck Eastern suburbs who let me drive their near new Monaros–’69 327ci silver with Saginaw, and HT 350 Green and gold stripes. What a blast for a teenager!
Car industry has always been tough to work in, but some good union organisation in the glory days evened things up a bit with those “Detroit and Tokyo” bosses! Identifying Holden with Australian nationalism is a bit suspect as others have pointed out but that is the subjective feeling among some petrol heads.
Reminded me of Game of Mates: How Favours Bleed the Nation by economists Cameron K. Murray and Paul Frijters……about how a small number of wealthy and highly-connected individuals, often operating within a cluster of powerful networks, rig rules, policy, laws and ideology for their personal and class benefit.
Around the Fin Crisis the US big 3 had to go cap in hand to Uncle Sam and beg for bail-out $. Ford was in the best shape, that company is still standing on the fabulous foundation laid all those years ago by Henry's Model T.
At the time GM, Ford and Chrysler were making things that sold poorly but the albatross about their necks was and is an aging workforce with a union that had negotiated superb retirement packages for folk that had been on the line and contributing to generous schemes for decades.
The govt bail-out was a two stage way of doing superannuation like we do.
I think Ford are coasting in the current market-place. Almost all of their R&D dollars have been directed towards what the future holds. Fortunes won't be made developing the ICE, doubling the range of a battery would create the next Bill Gates.
Oh for that recipe, a regular lithium ion job, eleven secret herbs and spices and hey presto – Twice the distance.
A bumper sticker on a truck I saw recently: 20 metres to pass. If you are in a Holden it may seem longer.
When commenting on the extraordinary success of his Model T Henry Ford said "If I gave the people what they wanted I would of given them a faster horse."
Like so many ultra driven men, Ford was an arse with many aspects of being a decent bloke. On his subject, brilliant. Wasn't nominated for Dad of the Year.
Before cracking out on their own the Dodge Brothers made Ford's engines, crated them up and shipped them across town to Ford's plant. Henry sent specs to the Dodge Bros for how he wanted the crates made that protected his engines during shipping, right down to where the nails went.
The Dodge Brothers made free floorboards for the Model T, cut to length and the fastening holes, pre-drilled.
Our love triangle began in a rambling old Queensland villa, the stumps were dodgy, a marble would roll the length of the hall all by itself. Jenny, Raylene and me. Jenny was going to be an actress and we were going to learn to fly. She took off to find her life, we took off to find ours.
Jenny had an infectious demeanor and a fast broad smile. She attracted interesting people. She was mates with a Rooster that worked on a NSW power generation scheme. An engineer way from home with nothing to do in his Snowy Mountain downtime. He bought a tidy 1950 48-215 utility, the first year Holden made a ute. Over the course of his electro-generation contract he restored Raylene with a 60's milkbar flavour. He met Jenny, money changed hands and Raylene come to live with us. Our triangle lost a side.
I rebuilt her in 99, retained the milkbar cowboy attitude. Shipped her to NZ, she is one of a few FX utes in NZ. They weren't sold here until the FJ model. We met an American airline pilot that had been living in NZ for 2 days. He had been posted to Auckland and was looking at a potential rental out at Piha Beach. Raylene and I met him on a blind corner. Captain Tim had forgotten we drive on the other side of the road in NZ.
Looking at her, holding her, the fire had gone. A Westie called Rex fell in love with her. He hasn't been able to locate a 48-215 Cathedral grille so she is sporting FJ teeth these days. Carwise, Raylene has been the love of my life.
(wish I knew how to post a pic here.)
Nice work there David.
Thanks Ad.
All the bogans are driving Ford Rangers now.
The ultimate humiliation.
Ha yes, now that it's not cool to adopt an overt Alpha persona, we need to do it with accessories. Vehicles so high children can't enter them, now that's Power!
"I bought a Ranger"
"Hello clone."
"It's a Wildtrak Model"
"Hello clone burning extra money"
The day I buy the most popular vehicle in the country please dress me in a Mao outfit and give me a heavy black bike.
Ranger – Gas hogging penis extensions for people that think Matisse is a brand of toilet paper.
I forgot to add "Wild Track", which is the pinnacle of bogan virtue-signalling!
If you want a proper penile implant, you can't go past the Dodge Ram.
Dodge Ram – The vehicle with a towing capacity so huge they'll be flying off the shelves the day it's legal to tootle down to the ramp with a 32 foot launch.
It's just Ram these days, they dropped the Dodge in 2010. Maybe it was too effete.
Most every independent tradie you see now has a Ford Ranger, leastways in Auckland I'll be bound.
Not so for the large firm fleets like Fulties, MacDow, Fletchers and Downer. Rangers are still a wee bit expensive as whole-fleet purchases when there are good old Toyotas still around.
Wrong login, Wayne.
Meaning?
Sorry, I read a lot of comments here and Wayne has more than once used the 'Tradies and their Ford Rangers' line when arguing against meaningful action against emissions.
He likes to warn against challenging them and their vehicle of choice for fear of destroying the sector, or something.
You just sounded a lot like him.
Tradies are in for two further decades of massive demand for their services, such is the housing and infrastructure projects coming up.
They are the very safest of sectors.
Farmers’ Ford Rangers are cool. You can spot them easy. They have a variety of shades of dirt on them. The fakes have splashed down the 75 metres to the tarmac and are garnished with mono-tone dirt. A farmer’s ute will have roll-over protection that will save a life, tyres that roar like Freddie Mercury on tarseal and a packet of Zig-Zags on the dashboard.
I'd feel complimented if I was mistaken for Dr Wayne Mapp. One of us has a dominant CV. I could live with failing like Wayne. I'd exploit the case of mistaken identity and create the 'New Wayne'. I'm satirising Wayne, thanks for taking the time to post here, I like reading what you have to say.
Cheers.
I try to be reasonably broad in my subject matter. Keeps the brain alive.