The End of Auto Production in Australia

Political lessons of the Australian car industry closure

By Oscar Grenfell, 20 October 2017

The shutdowns are the end product of a decades-long restructuring of car manufacturing, spearheaded by Labor and the trade unions.

Toyota worker denounces union over shutdown of Australian car industry

By our reporter, 21 November 2015

“The only people who will win out from this closure are the company and the unions.”

Australian Toyota workers support US auto workers’ struggle

By our correspondents, 12 October 2015

Autoworkers in Australia face the shutdown of the country's entire auto industry.

Oppose the destruction of the car industry in Australia! Launch a struggle in defence of jobs!

By the Socialist Equality Party (Australia), 10 October 2015

The closure of the car plants is not inevitable, but it can only be fought on the basis of a new political perspective and new forms of organisation.

Toyota Australia details restructuring plans after 2017 shutdown

By Will Morrow, 6 December 2014

The trade unions have been the key accomplices of the companies, along with state and federal governments, in organising the shutdown of the auto industry.

Australia: Sham promises on jobs crisis in state election

By Patrick Kelly, 15 November 2014

Several working class areas in Victoria’s capital, Melbourne, now have depression-level unemployment rates.

Australia: Socialist Alliance holds bogus “defend Geelong jobs” rally

By Will Marshall, 12 April 2014

Far from being a fight to defend jobs, the rally was aimed at promoting the Labor Party and unions, which bear full responsibility for the devastation of cities like Geelong.

Ford Australia refuses to guarantee production until 2016

By Will Morrow, 8 March 2014

The threat of an imminent plant closure will be used to intimidate workers into accepting deeper attacks on wages and conditions.

Socialist Equality Party public meeting in Melbourne

A global political strategy to defend car industry jobs

6 March 2014

Working class suburbs in Melbourne, Geelong and Adelaide face being deindustrialised and impoverished like American cities such as Detroit.

Socialist Equality Party campaigns against Toyota Australia shutdown

By our reporters, 22 February 2014

SEP campaigners met with a warm response from Toyota workers, many of whom bitterly denounced the union for its partnership with the company.

Jobs disaster looms in Australian car components industry

By James Cogan, 18 February 2014

At least 44,000 car component jobs are under threat.

Australian car industry closure: A warning to workers internationally

By James Cogan, 13 February 2014

The situation facing car workers in Australia is a devastating historical verdict on all national programs and the profit system itself.

Australian Labor Party and unions posture over Toyota closure

By Patrick O’Connor, 12 February 2014

The previous Labor government presided over the axing of more than 100,000 manufacturing jobs between 2007 and 2013, including in the car industry.

Following Ford and GM, Toyota Australia announces end of car production

By Patrick O’Connor, 11 February 2014

Unless the working class takes up a fight in defence of jobs against the closures, the entire auto industry in Australia will be wiped out.

Australian government inquiry calls for end to car industry subsidies

By Patrick O’Connor, 4 February 2014

Decisive layers within the ruling elite have concluded that most of the industry is “globally uncompetitive” and should be allowed to collapse.

Australian government intervenes against Toyota workers

By Will Morrow, 30 January 2014

The government is presenting its insistence that workers vote on Toyota’s cost-cutting demands under the fraudulent guise of giving them the “right” to choose.