Ford to cease manufacturing cars in Australia

US carmaker Ford Motor´s its last Falcon model rolled off its Australian assembly line on Friday, with 600 jobs to be lost in the state of Victoria as the manufacturer stops producing Down Under.

More car manufacturers are expected to cease operations in the country, as well as in the likes of Japan and Indonesia, as they see no way to profitability.

Australia appears to have experienced a steep drop in demand for big cars, as GM Holden and Toyota will also follow Ford out of the country.

The government has been accused of failing to support car manufacturers in Australia, after cutting subsidies to the sector.

Ford has had its base in Australia for 91 years, and a representative of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union said that it was a difficult time for the industry.

"This is not just about Ford, it's about the automotive industry and it's estimated that for every Ford worker there's between about four and seven workers out there in the component industries and support industries," said secretary Dave Smith.