Hmmm. Looks like ‘expert’ and self-promoter, Clive Matthew-Wilson has dropped a nest of vipers into his own Y-fronts with his media release speculating on the futures of Holden, Ford and Toyota in Australia.
Holden, he says, will be first to close. Soon… (at least I think that’s what he’s intimating).
Now Clive the hyphen, who may be a household name in his… er, own house, is not exactly widely known for his sage views on much about the world.
But that hasn’t stopped him from shouting those views from the battlements. And why not, it’s a free country.
The simple fact, however, is that with this recent press release, he has brought nothing new to the commentary – no facts, no sustainable supporting argument, nothing referenced, no comments from within the automakers impaled upon his pen – nothing other than a bald statement expressing his view.
And the expert he quotes, is, yes, himself. “Matthew-Wilson believes Holden will be the first to go, followed by Ford and then Toyota.” Says who? Says Matthew-Wilson.
Without facts, it is just a view. Like the one you might have, and like the one I might have.
So, what’s going on here with Clive the hyphen? You have to suspect the ‘media release’ in question is designed primarily to be a nuisance, and to put Clive the hyphen himself in the news (and whatever it is he wants to promote) rather than to add constructively to discussion.
Because it is only the nuisance value of his comments, and the damage they can do, that has elevated them to the front pages.
His statement, which is loaded in the same way as the question, “Have you stopped beating your wife?” leaves Holden with no room to move other than to deny.
Everyone knows Holden has a battle on its hands. So too Ford, and so too Toyota. We have commented as much.
There are few carmakers on the planet without serious problems in the face of the worst global recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s. That’s what happens when sales take a high dive through the s-bend.
And yes, there are challenges here, but our market, and our local carmakers, continue to hold up better than nearly every developed market overseas.
As we commented in our April VFACTS summary of March ’09 sales compared to March ’08: “… despite the overall Australian new car market having fallen by 19.2 percent compared to March sales 2008, sales of the two most popular locally-built large cars are doing okay.
“Down, but definitely not out.
“Compared to March 2008 sales figures, the Falcon and Commodore were down 14.3 percent and 11.1 percent respectively - bettering the performance of the market by a reasonable margin.”
So, yes, challenges there, and good reason to promote balanced discussion and commentary on the status of our automotive sector, on its future, and what we might reasonably be doing as a community to support it.
But no basis for Clive the hyphen’s action in putting his views out as a media release.
Just supreme arrogance and supreme disinterest for the future and well-being of Holden and its thousands of employees.
What will it be tomorrow Clive? Expert predicts Virgin Blue to close down? Melbourne Football Club to collapse? BHP to relocate to Chile?
You can have your views, but they don’t form the basis of a press release. Speculation of this type isn’t news, it’s vandalism.
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From holden
This genuinely sincere statement is far more profound than we have come to expect from a media release, which is why we have decided to reproduce it here verbatim.
STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO AUTO INDUSTRY SPECULATION
What gives one person the right to call ‘time’ on an entire industry with more than 60,000 jobs at stake? What data is he basing his views on when happily sounding the death knell for Australian car makers and employees?
We’ve never had a request from this individual to speak with our executives, to discuss our company business plans or review the business case for our new fuel efficient 4 cylinder small car.
This is shameless self-promotion at the expense of our industry, our organisation and our employees.
For the record, Holden has had the best selling car in the country for 13 consecutive years and we’re not going anywhere. We’re in there fighting in a pretty tough global environment and we won’t be discouraged by bystanders.
Background
Automotive manufacturing is the largest manufacturing sector in Australia. It supports about 64,000 families and puts $5 billion in wages back into the economy each year. Holden contributed $500 million in wages last year and invested $420 million in research and development.
Holden recently announced that it will produce a second car line based on General Motors’ global Delta small car platform. GM’s own viability plan highlighted that the introduction of the second car line puts Holden in a long term viable position.
We believe that the Australian Government’s recently announced $6.2 billion industry support package will be a driver for innovation at Holden and other Australian manufacturers across the next decade.
Holden and the Australian automotive industry have a lot to be proud of. It’s worth fighting for.
END OF RELEASE
Well written article; I agree wholely. Sure Holden, Ford, whoever is battling sales results with more reasons than the press care to publish (and retailers & manufacturers care to discuss or realise), but there is no need to batter our fading brains with further junk to get your name in the paper (maybe next he could release a sex video with Lindsay Lohan). And it is no secret to any business minded individual that competition is challenging, no matter what the product or service. If Australian’s can support the local guy (including governement bodies such as Police) then we’ll get through; professionals run these companies so it’s not as if they’re out of touch.
So Clive keep your comments to the comments section just like the rest of us and good luck with your future in journalism - you’ll certainly need it now.
When I read this article online yesterday, I kept expecting to see Harold “Screwball” Scruby’s name to appear somewhere since it was so ridiculous. His speculation is right up there with the world is about to end, sometime…..
I would take what Mr Matthew-Wilson says with a grain of salt the guy is a kiwi and is probably suffering from a severe case of “sourgrapes” because NZ don’t have anything that resembles a car industry.
What’s the bet that Clive Matthew-Wilson has a new book coming out called somethng like “The Fall of the Australian Automotive Industry”? Sounds very much like a little self-promotion prior to a book launch.
This Clive Matthew Wilson guy is a fanatic authoritarian nutjob.
He thinks the government has to get completely involved in our roads and our choice of cars, and he thinks police should confiscate mobile phones from drivers.
On the Dog and Lemon Guide website, he regularly calls for even more regulations and road rules. Clearly he places no value on freedom and the use of individual judgement, making him a real elitist tyrant.