Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to confirmation by Holden's managing director Mike Devereux in June this year that it was absolutely true that Holden would cease manufacturing in Australia if there was any reduction in taxpayer support. Prime Minister, hasn't the government known all along that it was forcing Holden to leave Australia?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There has been no reduction in car industry funding. There is the same car funding available today as there has been. Let me refer members opposite to a statement by the former Prime Minister, Ms Gillard. She said:

It gives me great pleasure to be able to say to the House that we have worked together with Holden and we have secured Holden to manufacture cars in Australia for the next decade. Holden will be manufacturing two new-generation motor vehicles here in Australia for the next decade.

I simply make this point: how can it be the job of this government to save Holden when the former government said it had already been done?

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Isaacs will desist.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The former government committed an additional $275 million to Holden. Unfortunately, it was not enough. I have no desire to play politics on this, but if it was so easy to save Holden why was the former government not able to deliver on its commitment? If it was so easy to save Ford, what happened under the former government? If it was so easy to save the motor industry, what happened to Mitsubishi under the former government?

What we are going to do is put in place the economic fundamentals that will give the manufacturers of this country the best possible chance to survive and to flourish. We will reduce taxes, we will reduce regulation and we will add certainty to government decision making. Unfortunately, the Labor Party is against all of those things.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before I call the member for Barker, I did see the member for Makin holding up a prop, which could have been distributed to more than one of the members on my left. Should those props be used, those people using them can leave the chamber under 94(a). I call the honourable member for Barker.