An interesting change at the helm of Holden this week with the former President of Toyota Motor Corporation in Australia Dave Buttner announced as the new Chairman and Managing Director of GM Holden following the retirement of Mark Bernard from GM at month end. The move is significant – Buttner retired last year from market leader Toyota our No. 1 vehicle importer. Holden of course now a pure importer and Buttner’s experience will do wonders for what was once our home grown car company. One anomaly that he needs to address is the 5 per cent tariff Holden now pays on its Commodore built in Germany – it adds $1,200 to consumers yet the tariff was originally applied to protect local industry, Holden and others, which of course no longer exist.
Holden also cop a $1,000 tariff on their Equinox SUV out of Mexico – just another anomaly of our current tax system including our ludicrous 33 per cent luxury tax grab.
I’m David Berthon

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