Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Hansard source

Senator, you, Senator Carr and others on your side like to blame the coalition government for the closure of auto manufacturers in Australia, but the fact is the fate of Australian auto production was already sealed when Senator Carr himself—he doesn't like to hear this and he doesn't like to take responsibility. Senator Carr, these are the facts. In 2013, when Senator Carr was Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, automotive employment was down one-third from when Labor came into government in 2007. That happens to be a fact, Senator Carr. Motor vehicle production in 2013, when Senator Carr was the relevant minister, was down nearly 40 per cent. In fact, as Senator Carr himself said back in 2012:

It's not the Government's job to tell them how to manage the plant. Governments do not run the car companies.