OCTOBER 4, 2017 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + THE WEST’S BEST PROPERTY GUIDE
Toyota’s final day jobs blow Thousands of job losses are sweeping the western suburbs as Toyota Australia stopped making cars at its Altona plant on Tuesday, signalling the end of auto manufacturing in Victoria. Australian Manufacturing Workers Union divisional secretary Dave Smith said more than 2600 direct employees and at least 3000 supply-chain workers would be losing their jobs. The factory closure signals the end of $1 billion in annual exports for cars and parts. At Laverton North, Toyota car-seat manufacturer Toyota Boshoku is understood to have started slashing the jobs of close to 400 workers on Monday. Components importer and manufacturer Toyota Tsusho confirmed some of its western suburbs companies would be downsized while others would close. Croatian-born St Albans resident Damir Dakovic started work at the Altona plant in 1996, a year after it opened. “It’s a sad time for all us, for all Victoria and all Australia,” he said. “I learned my English here and I met all my friends – Asians, Europeans and Australians. And I got the opportunity also to be employee rep. “All my family are driving Toyota cars and I believe I will drive Toyota for rest of my life.” The last Toyota Camry went down the Altona production line about noon on Tuesday. Melton South’s Matthew Kinson, an employee for nearly 19 years, said he had a feeling of pride whenever a Toyota passed, and as one of the only Aussies to have made a hybrid car.
“Something that I always reflect back on when a Camry passes me is, I could have made that car,” he said. “It’s a bloody good car to drive – made in Australia.” Sunshine West’s Michael Spiteri, a Toyota worker for about 22 years, said he was going for a job interview in security work next week. “Hopefully, that pans out well for myself,” he said. “I’ve got a family, married with two kids, so moving into a new job is important for me with mortgages and bills that never stop.”
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I will drive Toyota for the rest of my life
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- Damir Dakovic
Toyota Tsusho human resources general manager Ruth Anderson said the parent company would be downsizing while several subsidiaries would close. “We have TT Steel Centre (at Laverton North) and we had our first people from there leave last Friday [October 22] and there will be ongoing redundancies now for largely the remainder of the year,” she said. Toyota Australia president Dave Buttner said 1300 workers Australia-wide would be retained and the Altona site would be developed into a centre of excellence. “Altona will house our expanded design and engineering capabilities,” he said. “The centre of excellence will include a world-class training facility and other commercial initiatives.”
(Damjan Janevski)
By Goya Dmytryshchak
SIENNA, 7
Village goes with the glow West Footscray will twinkle and glow when its inaugural Festival of Lights unfolds. West Footscray Traders Association president Pradeep Tiwari said the festival, derived from traditional Indian Diwali celebrations, would be like an early Christmas. It will be launched on October 12, with traders and residents in the vicinity of Barkly Village encouraged to illuminate their businesses and homes. The festival will include projections on to several public buildings. The festival’s free closing ceremony, on October 21 from 4-11.30pm at Footscray’s 501 Receptions, will include children’s activities and a fire show. Details: Festival of Lights West Footscray on Facebook. Goya Dmytryshchak