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

We have a series of enterprise negotiations currently underway in the auto industry in Australia. You will from time to time get comments being made. I am not going to comment on the argy-bargy that goes on in terms of that position. What I can say is that the government works very closely with this industry to secure its future. What workers can be absolutely certain of and have absolute confidence in is the commitment of this government to the future of their jobs and to the future of this industry. Unlike those opposite, we actually stand ready to defend this industry and to ensure the prosperity of manufacturing in this country. You have a policy of ending waste in the automotive industry. That was a policy you took to the last election. You have now got a position of withdrawing further support to the automotive industry. So if ever we had a case of crocodile tears we have it here today. Senator Fawcett, it would be a really good idea if you sent back this sort of rubbish to the tactics committee. (Time expired)