Quote:
Originally Posted by jpd80
The $30 M for Focus production was when Tom Gorman was in charge but I'm pretty sure
that any offer never got to an actual figure, all they did was allow Ford to keep $34 million
offered for the 2014 Falcon FGX model upgrade and a similar amount for Territory....
Apart for that the govt chipped in for $30 M assistance for workers and Vic Govt. $9 M
I do remember some comment that even if Ford was offered $500 Million it wouldn't be
enough to change the decision that was already made and that may have been from
Ford itself.
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Quite possibly, I don't think it was money that changed hands as such but Im fairly sure the then Minister for Industry Greg Combet was alerted to the issues facing the auto industry and it was his job to keep it rolling on but Ford didn't want a bar of it.
As I said earlier, the supply industry managed in the wake of Mitsubishi's closure in 08 whilst the rest continued on but as someone who was part of that supply chain by way of transport and logistics, the shockwave after Fords announcement was quite obvious and many small companies that couldn't diversify were concerned.
When Smokin' Joe gave GM the ultimatum I firmly believe he hadn't prepared himself for the response he got and by the time Toyota entered the conversation its fate was sealed despite their reluctance to close.