Cory Bernardi (SA, Australian Conservatives) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Finance, representing the Treasurer, Senator Cormann. In my home state of South Australia this week marks the closure of the Holden car-manufacturing plant, bringing an end to the Australian car-manufacturing era. Yet Australia continues to impose import tariffs on cars which, on those made in Thailand alone, costs car buyers over $320 million a year. The tax burden includes an estimated $1,000 on the Ford Ranger, Ford Focus, Toyota Corolla, Mazda 2, Mazda CX-3, Honda Civic, Honda Jazz and Honda CR-V and estimated $1,300 on the Toyota Hilux, Mitsubishi Triton, Holden Colorado and Nissan Navara. With no basis for retaining protections for a non-existent automotive industry, will the government now ease the tax burden on Australian car purchasers and axe these car taxes?