Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

By question is to the Minister for Industry. I refer to his statement on 20 September that he would arm-wrestle the Treasurer on the future of the car industry. Does the government support the continued presence of Holden in Australia or not, and does the government accept that its half-billion-dollar cut to auto industry assistance will see Holden leave Australia?

Ian Macfarlane (Groom, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am so pleased to get a question from the opposition which is at least a little bit positive. Do we support Holden remaining in Australia? Absolutely. Are we doing something about it? Absolutely. What is the Labor Party doing? They have imposed a carbon tax, which they are now refusing to take off. As the Deputy Prime Minister said, that carbon tax is adding up to $400 per vehicle.

An opposition member: That is not true.

That is true; and the Labor Party, as they sit in here and behave in this pious fashion, are opposing the removal of that carbon tax in the Senate. If they want to keep Holden here they should take the carbon tax off today.