Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Industry) Share this | Hansard source

It is an extraordinary proposition, but I acknowledge that it is a claim that has been made. However, it is arguably a claim that other industry ministers might have made from time to time. It might be argued that one of our better industry ministers, Senator John Button, made the claim; that is who I was quoting. I was quoting Senator Button, who said that it is one of the jobs of the industry minister to advocate for Australia’s interests in discussions with the head offices of Australia’s vehicle manufacturers, for example. If Senator Bernardi objects to this concept, perhaps the focus of his dismay should be the Howard government’s own industry minister, Ian Macfarlane, who took the very sensible step of accompanying South Australia’s Labor Deputy Premier to Tokyo last December following persistent rumours about Mitsubishi.

What Senator Bernardi fails to explain in his vitriolic outburst is exactly how he thinks his flat-earth economic policies would actually help the South Australian car industry. If he is against the government maintaining a stable macroeconomic environment, addressing market failures and advocating for and in defence of Australia’s interests, why should he be in favour of retaining specific industry programs, no matter how vital the sector is?