Australia: A Country Without Workers | ARTE.tv Documentary

Once a proud symbol of the nation the Australian car manufacturer Holden has now closed all its factories in Australia, part of a wave of closures and delocalisation which now threaten the country’s manufacturing base.
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Australia: A Country Without Workers | ARTE.tv Documentary
🗓 Available until the 05/02/2048
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[@Alex-pr6zv]

The guy at the end hit the nail on the head. Aussies weren't buying Holdens and weren't supporting their own industry.

[@brettymike]

Of course part of the reason is they couldn't afford to run them anymore.

[@Eric-kn4yn]

​​@brettymike the govt wasnt supporting GMH no tarrifs no car industry a Stràtegic industry

[@dnickaroo3574]

Germany was the largest manufacturer in Europe, but they lost their cheap source of Energy.

[@victorsvoice7978]

Holden was subsidised by the Australian taxpayer. The cars were overpriced. The wages were too high because of the unions. This meant that they were uncompetitive with cheaper imports from Asia.

[@Eric-kn4yn]

Wages were not too high and subsidies is not a dirty word its a strategic industry.

[@patrickcannell2258]

Asia uses cheap labour. Not right. Particularly China.

[@RIZFERD]

As Indonesian, I grew up with many cars and Holden was one of my daily in the 1980's and 1990's. Holden should stayed away from General Motors/Opel/Vauxhall as they're such a failures, kicked out of Indonesia like 10 years now.

[@chrish4469]

Almost all counties that make cars are subsidised.

[@kallekas8551]

Wages were not high, every country subsidises industries…

[@johnmorris679]

I do not understand the video title " A Country Without Workers"? This story is about a foreign owned company that closed its Australian subsidiary for econmic reasons not about a shortage of workers.

[@rmf9567]

This is just a push by the liberals to say we need more illegal immigrants

[@samoday2992]

Its this imaginary need for immigration that the west absolutely does not need.

[@rizalukman7982]

In my view, the reason why the title is the country without workers is because in the past a lot of Australian worked in factory for a living.So if there is one huge manufacturing company closed its operation,it could be followed by other manufacturers and it means that the number of factory workers are becoming less and less until close to none.Australia still have an employment opportunities in the future but it is not factory workers type employment.

[@SunSeeker-yv7tu]

​@@rizalukman7982are you work in australia? Hows about the opportunity there? Iam at my 30s, struggle here [indo] to make living me with 2 babies. If theres any job or opportunities outside, i would gladly looking forwrd to it.

[@kallekas8551]

What they actually mean is a country where people don’t know how to work…all the people who built Australia to its present place were post war migrants…

[@shanesuridge587]

I was on the opposite side I was a Holden fan but I got a job at Ford motor company Australia Broadmeadows started back in 1985 working in the plastics plant working on the plastic injection moulding machines as a die setter operator then in 1990 I transferred down to Fords operations down in Geelong Victoria work there mainly as a CNC machine setter and operator l have done other multiple tasks Jobs as well as working in press shop as a die setter operator and casting plant casting front and rear disc brakes and BARA engine blocks l took the package around about 2010 did my 25 years service 5 years Broadmeadows 20 years Geelong fond memories I have learnt multiple skills that the newer generations will never have that opportunity what the car industry can give you

[@tonybmusic1166]

I actually bought the American version of the car, a Pontiac GTO. Bob Lutz was the GM exec who took the Holden Monaro, stuck the steering wheel on the other side and marketed it in the US as a GTO. It’s a great car, in my opinion, very well made. I bought mine second hand and love it….but I don’t think it really caught on in America. It’s also kind of ironic that at the time American carmakers were begging for bailouts in the US, GM was building 12 factories in China. The Buick badge was doing pretty well in China. So, maybe Aussies now know what Detroit went through.

[@gerryhouska2859]

There are many workers, many unemployed, many working several part time jobs, and all because of greedy employers who prefer to move manufacturing to countries with the cheapest (often prison) labour and governments which will not invest in manufacturing rather than subsidising fossil fuel companies - coal and gas.

[@engineeranonymous]

What this video is trying to tell - in a French way - is Australia is losing it's manufacturing industry. They are using Holden as an example since car industry is a milestone in manufacturing. In Australia's 2006 census, 10.7 per cent were employed in manufacturing. The number fell to 6.2 per cent in 2021. Most rise seen in Mining jobs by 40,000 between 2006 and 2021 which is showing you are selling commodity so that you can buy some else's product which is sad for any country.

[@FairladyS130]

Yes but typically for most Australians they pick on the wrong point and miss the big picture. Plus blame Murricans for everything.

[@peterkorek-mv6rs]

As a schoolboy I learned a simple sentence: Developed country - produces industrial goods. Underdeveloped country - produces raw materials energy sources agriculture goods. And OF COURSE tourism. It's VERY EASY to slide to the third world level. The opposite move is diffiicult

[@Eric-kn4yn]

Indiafication of a once white proud prosperous nation.

[@peterkorek-mv6rs]

@@Eric-kn4yn The problem is are our investors and bankers ready to accept higher labour costs and lower profits and to produce in "white" countries. And are we ready as costumers to accept "western " prices 2-3x higher as the "chinese"

[@dabig_guy2204]

Manufacturing was the stepping stone to a better for a middle class in the West

[@rrajan5476]

No. Now it is a GLOBAL disaster! Every worker entering job market wants to do only "cleaner " job, no matter how low the salary could be. People tend to forget that the World cant run on software only!

[@rushdiahmad2435]

Well, to be honest in Thailand blue collar workers who work in Honda factory there couldn't afford this model , same thing happened in Malaysia regular Honda employees couldn't afford basic Honda Civic just count yourself lucky Australian

[@Eric-kn4yn]

Shouldnt rely on luck fair reasonable sharing the nations wealth isnt about luck.

[@rushdiahmad2435]

@@Eric-kn4yn not really, basic Honda Civic is considered luxury car here due to low living standards

[@Eric-kn4yn]

​​@@rushdiahmad2435 do you have big divide between rich poor super wealthy who pay no tax and make sure wages are very low for workers none for welfare

[@Eric-kn4yn]

@@rushdiahmad2435 australia is a wealthy country but under 40s finding buying house impossible didnt use to be so hard 30 years past

[@rushdiahmad2435]

@@Eric-kn4yn so does everyone else, property prices increase exponentially is nothing new we also experienced it over here infact it is a worldwide phenomenon

[@maggotman2024]

It seems Mr Getgood is the only beneficiary of the Holden transition process.

[@traytrid9367]

Or rather he's living up to his name😅😅😅

[@Boxing4K]

The title is very misleading. Actually, it's clickbait. It should read, Australia: A country without a car industry. But of course that is not unusual, for a country with a population of 25 million to not have a car industry, is it?

[@lacdirk]

It is unusual for a developed country not to have a lot of companies involved in building cars or at least parts of cars. Much smaller countries like Slovakia, Romania, Czech Republic, Belgium and Portugal have large car industries. But you can't do it without extremely efficient regional supply chains.

[@artman12]

@@lacdirkThose countries benefit from the EU open borders and less distances within the supply chains. Canada benefits with the trade deals with the US allowing it to have an automobile industry. Australia is far away from everything.

[@lacdirk]

@@artman12 Aye, that was my point. The size of the population isn't relevant, the size of the regional supply chains is what determines competitiveness in global markets. Australia can't compete in complex manufactured items that require large scale and long supply chains can be optimised to death in large economies.

[@AnthonyGriz]

Australia signed on to the UN's Lima Declaration and every successive government has done what it can to reduce manufacturing by making imports from lower income countries, far more enticing to the masses. Hence why more and more people purchased the lower-priced imports, just as in every manufacturing sector. This achieves the desires of the Lima Declaration.

[@graeme02]

Correct. Today's 'Australians' don't know or don't want to know the country's history.

[@mtcru]

7:24 "what can I do?" just repair and keep your lovin Holden. Up to day, a lot of guys maintain their Pontiacs, Oldsmobiles, Saturns, and Saabs in pristine condition. just what you can do.

[@RIZFERD]

As Indonesian, I grew up with many cars and Holden was one of my daily.

[@metalextras]

There is Asia's #3 biggest car market sitting as Australia's neighbor, yet Holden CLOSED their dealership there in the 90s, followed by GM in 2020...

[@ChristopherStrong-sv4vy]

Rip in pieces Holden we loved you!

[@brettymike]

@10:24 - "what the future holds"...."You will own Nothing and be Happy". That is what they want. It is up to the people to Stop them.

[@stephanieellison7834]

Are you in a militia?

[@brettymike]

@@stephanieellison7834 No.

[@MySpace662]

Is it the weak sales of vehicles or the shortage of workers ?

[@MeaHeaR]

I hadda VH Wagon Commodé, now I gotta VS Wagon Commodé

[@Antoinette-iv6ev]

Sad story,great cars.

[@HenryKing679]

China now owns 90% of Australia Manufactures and Exports,and will probably own 100% in the next decade😂😂😂

[@Wayne-ig1il]

I believe Holden would be still going if the Government didn’t imports so many different cars from overseas

[@chrish4469]

Yep, We have more car brands that sell cars here, Than they do to the USA

[@tecomaman]

If a car is good ,it can be exported and people will buy it ,but Australians were small minded to think they would make a car for Australians only

[@kdegraa]

The Australian car industry and industry in general required government support through either tariffs or subsidies to survive. The question whether this is fair or not is difficult to answer. On the one hand many occupations are effectively immune from foreign competition. Jobs like teaching, nursing, medical services, public services etc cannot be outsourced or shipped overseas. On the other hand manufacturing and other industries are competing internationally. Australians would have to pay to protect Australian industries through either higher prices or higher taxes. The decision has been effectively made Australians will not pay to protect Australian manufacturing for better or worse. There is corruption in so many ways. One of the worse examples is when General Motors shut down Holden, they took a large amount of money back to America the Federal government gave to them in return for Holden to keep operating.

[@pujapete3665]

drives a honda...that made me smile

[@MeaHeaR]

I hadda VH Wagon Commodé, now I gotra VS Wagon Commodé

[@timothyoreilly6675]

What's Darwin, Australia like? Is it easy to secure employment there? Any advice appreciated. Thanks 🙂

[@markoneill9064]

If you’re looking to the hospitality industry… reasonable. Cost of living is high.

[@750tripple]

Its a terrible place full of alcohol and drug related crime and violence

[@Eric-kn4yn]

​​@@750trippleaborigines.

[@user-oz5mg5mx8k]

The woman said it all, “sign of the time”. In the west it’s all about money and cost as manufacturers to buyers but in the future and has already started Asia will be in the same boat👍

[@Just4Kixs]

It's a misleading title. There are workers in the country lol

[@chillout914]

not enough but they do not want to bring immigrants and after that they start to cry that they do not have workers ........

[@zaitinmak5671]

Australia should try to work on industries where they have " Competitive Advantages " . Minerals , Farm products , Seafood , Higher education / Medical education , Tourism / Recreation , Solar power generation ....... Australia has a lot of Sunshine and should generate most of its power using Solar Panels , but not to make Solar Panels locally !

[@peterkorek-mv6rs]

As a schoolboy I learned a simple sentence: Developed country - produces industrial goods. Underdeveloped country - produces raw materials energy sources agriculture goods. It's VERY EASY to slide to the third world level, believe me. Th opposite move is diffiicult.

[@lacdirk]

They seem to think that Europe only kept its car industry because of a political decision. It didn't. It's just a continental-sized economy. That means it can just about stay competitive with countries that throw their environment and workers under the bus. They can not "will" their car industry back towards competitiveness.

[@annaa9666]

The business laws don’t help to keep the companies in business either

[@betterpoliticsquetu]

the world doesnt need more cars how about the gov investing in public transportation to cut down on pollution

[@clydesimpson1462]

Quote from the '80's: Japan makes a car and sells it to the world. Australia makes a car and sells it to Australian's.

[@wheretimehasnovalue9343]

There was nothing holding back change. change is the only constant, and we are the ones stuck in the past, believing that everything remains the same. with AI and robots and autonomous vehicles, a big shift is happening and is on our doors. no herd of elephants can stop what is coming, and we are can resist as much as we want to, and that will only hurt us. the sacrificial lamb are the one lost in the transition phase, who will lose their jobs and will have to find something to land on. embrace change, find alternate and multiple streams of smaller incomes its going to get rocky, just support each other, help who we can, and be happy, no matter what comes or what goes..

[@germanikus8793]

With the USA , there is no emotion as they dismantle other country industry, here General Motors-Holden.

[@ChristopherStrong-sv4vy]

Australia 🇦🇺 factories 🏭 got learn to change!!

[@stephanieellison7834]

Oh, are you speaking for the White Man among our people?

[@Eric-kn4yn]

Change for the better or worse.

[@stevepoulin8964]

Open the border like the usa you get people 😂😂

[@oberstleutnant787]

Holden and Crysler were basically junk piece of motor engineering, Ford Falcon fared a bit better. Aussie cars were over-priced and with mediocre quality. They were no match to imported Japanese cars which offered better value for money.

[@timothydevries383]

Too small, bad management, making the wrong types of vehicles, aggressive unsupportive government, high exchange rates, quality problems & labor costs. It was death by 1000 cuts.

[@melyssa7637]

How old is this????

[@artetvdocumentary]

This documentary is from 2018.

[@anarukira4042]

Sad

[@khooahok4589]

Holden cars very expressive with Japan, Korea and china cars 😂

[@mrblurblur2003]

Back in the 80s I was an experienced toolmaker with years of experience and expert. I applied for a tourist visa but because I am Asian, young, the Australian refused me a visit pass on the grounds I may be a potential job seeker. What I may say is that Australia was racist in their policies all along and only welcome migrants from Europe as a white only policy. Too bad and too late as I am an old man now at 75. But I'm glad I didn't get to migrate there as I live well and a rich life full of sincere friends and lots of fishing to do.

[@ChristopherStrong-sv4vy]

Football and meat 🥩 pies and kangaroos and Holden cars 🚗!!

[@rocarr180]

Lmao my ex wife worked for Holden and they where supported , GM headquarters made the decision, a sad bad joke

[@user-rn8ej6jh3k]

Holden had an easy ride in the 70's and 80's. They were strongly supported by government purchases. There was little or no innovation. Up until the late 70's it was the same old car with a new body style. Eventually they got a name as being a heap of shit. The blame rests on the shoulders of the management of Holden.

[@AussiePom]

So it's a Holden Australia story as if Toyota Australia and Ford Australia didn't even exist. Yet here we are in 2024 and Holden have well and truly gone and yet Ford is still here with dealerships as are Toyota. Oh yes Holden the great Australian car for Ford and Toyota were just American and Japanese companies that made cars here but Holden was all Australian.........NOT. Even at the end Ford used more Australian made content in their cars than Holden did, but Holden was the only great Australian car as it's bogan wankers (fans) scream Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi in their jingoistic patriotic way. Dear god!.

[@mariananev-xk8tw]

Very well said. Pretentious, pompous and highly overrated with nothing to show for. Nothing is produced there. Just a big supplier of resources for the REAL producers. I am sure they are still looking down on Korea or Japan in spite of the fact that the latter two a ligh years ahead. Ignorance at its finest 😊

[@lacdirk]

Odd flex. Holden made cars in Australia, and basically only sold in Australia. The brand died with the factories. Ford stopped making cars in Australia before Holden did, and what it sells right now is made in Thailand. As are the Toyota cars still sold in Australia. GM could have rebadged some of its other vehicles as Holden's to sell them in Australia. But that wouldn't have made a lick of difference for the workers in the Australian factories. As it is, GM decided that left-hand drive vehicles were too much of a bother, so it exited all left-hand drive markets. Technically, if Australia hadn't stuck to left-hand drive all this time, it would probably still have Holden cars. But just like the Fords and Toyotas, they wouldn't be made in Australia.

[@MultiBopo]

Nonsense. Closing dow the Australian automotive industry was the dumbest idea ever. CRIMINAL.

[@richardouvrier3078]

Aussies are classy and rich. Cars German, baggage and valises French. We don’t want Holdens.

[@karelmarx8899]

it's easy industry owners are much much togreedy.

[@peterjaniceforan3080]

🦘😢

[@BobQuigley]

Population of Australia a landmass about ths size of USA is around the same population of the state of Florida. US population is 333 million Australia 26 million. Again for size comparisons there are many cities around the world with more people than Australia. It seems that the former UK colonies are in same boat as the UK itself. Stuck in the past. Fearing immigration. Joining military alliances that are destabilizing the greater world of 8 billion precious humans. Disturbing that so many people of European descent cannot shake off old hatreds and fears. Foolishly spending hugesums of money on weapons including the idiotic nuclear submarines of the most dangerous nation on earth today the USA. We must have PEACE if there's any hope of addressing the man made catastrophes growing exponentially as we spew 51 billion tons of greenhouse gases pollution into our globally shared atmosphere annually. It seems Aussies have already forgotten 3 billion dead animals, millions of acres destroyed, unprecedented flooding. What a sad state humanity has mindlessly built over last century. We learned NOTHING from the bloodiest century in history as we start more wars. As we collectively spend $7.5 trillion annually on wars and militarism.

[@rmf9567]

You are completely wrong Australia cannot handle a large population due to its environment.. that has been long known and they are watching the rest of the Western world be destroyed by illegal immigration.. just to give you a number 450 billion dollars a year it has cost America for illegal immigration. If we stopped allowing illegal immigrants to come in maybe we can focus that money on our own people did you ever think that

[@jasonfrigeri]

A world without USA would be extremely dangerous to the western world

[@samoday2992]

Absolute nonsense . None of these countries need immigration at all . Australia has 26 million people because vast areas of the country are uninhabitable. Much like Canada . Immigration needs to be completely halted .

[@snowflakemelter7171]

Yeah sure. Only people of european descent funds their military 🤣🤣

[@rmf9567]

Then maybe you should move to China or North Korea so you can live in your Utopia

[@daniellybaert1958]

Poeple always wane stay in the old time, technic change and when You don't change with it You lose the game !!

[@MeaHeaR]

Football, meat pies, Kangaroos und the White Arstralia Policy. Ahh thé Wunderbar Timés 😟😰😩😰😟😩😩😩😧😦😳😵😵😳

[@hounddog7256]

Farmers are next.

[@hareeshkumar3660]

Sir, I m from India..If you help i will come with my friends and we can empower your company...❤

[@Eric-kn4yn]

Indians stay in indian please australia is a white european country dont want 👽 taking over.

[@yhwhlives4393]

U can thank China for this

[@vindersingh25]

Let me in 💕.

[@Eric-kn4yn]

Indians not welcome we are a white nation 👽 not taking over.

[@regi3.1]

When u have a colonial mindset....u cant sustain industrirles that requires speed of change and innovativeness...with a ineffective and laidback workforce.

[@matomemalatji9010]

It was a bad idea to assemble cars for Americans. American first!

[@user-wj2dr3pg1w]

Bring it to philippines

[@rowredround7206]

Lol this more annoying then all your Russian sympathy pieces.

[@VinayWebstar]

Asian brands like Subaru, Mazda & Honda, of course Toyota, all make excellent cars with reliable and long standing quality. Germans and Italians make the finest luxury ones, and the rest is held by Americans. What's this stupid brand for????? Better buy an Mitsubishi or Honda rather than Holden

[@matomemalatji9010]

Embrace your neighbors and work for the brighter future with the Chinese. The Economics of Western Empires are long gone.

[@Eric-kn4yn]

Embrace China dont have them take over a white proud prosperous nation.

[@Eric-kn4yn]

Australia not happy with imperial chinas thuggery.

[@Abdulah65]

Holden no thank

[@Richard-lg2lz]

who in their right mind would go work for a compagny making billion and they make their employees work on crums while they themself make bikkion they can go work in their industries themself

[@siennad6209]

There cars were to dear anyway rip off