Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, Senator Fawcett would be only too well aware, as Mr Abbott revealed again just last week, that the coalition is committed to further reducing support for the automotive industry. A further cut of $500 million is proposed by the coalition as part of the $70 billion campaign to smash Australian industry. You are in the business, Senator Fawcett, of ripping the guts out of the Australian economy, and yet you are kind enough to come in here to fulfil the work of Senator Abetz and put up that sort of nonsense to this government.

What we have here is the sheer hypocrisy of those on the other side. They run around factories and make well of people's distress and difficulties in this time of economic adjustment, while at the same time they pursue policies which would destroy jobs, destroy companies and cut the guts out of the capacity of the Australian government to stand shoulder to shoulder with firms, to stand shoulder to shoulder with regions and to stand shoulder to shoulder with workers. You are in the business of destroying jobs, of cutting workers away from their entitle­ments, smashing the automotive industry and smashing manufacturing, and you want to ask a silly question like that.