Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Carr. I refer to the minister’s proposal to set up an inquiry into Australia’s automotive industry. Can the minister rule out appointing former Labor Premier Steve Bracks to head the inquiry? Can he rule out paying Mr Bracks $2,000 a day to conduct the inquiry?

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

I thank the shadow minister for his question and I look forward to dealing with him on a number of these issues for some years to come. The point that he has asked me about relates to a review of the automotive industry, which is something we are publicly committed to. I have stated on numerous occasions that we will establish a review into the whole industry and its sustainability. We indicated last year that a review would be established which would go beyond the statutory review required under the ACIS legislation, and it would look at all aspects affecting the competitiveness of the industry.

This is a review that is long overdue. The fact of the matter is this: there have been 7,000 jobs lost in this industry since 2002. This industry is facing acute challenges. But what we saw from the previous government was a government essentially on automatic pilot. Despite the fact that the fundamental premise that underpinned the structural assistance programs had changed dramatically, the previous government chose not to change the policy settings. We had a government that essentially thought that the manufacturing industry in this country should be put on palliative care. Despite the fact that it employed over 60,000 Australians and was strategically vital to a wide-ranging number of industries from the ICT sector right through to aluminium, to plastics, to textiles and to every component of the manufacturing sector, the previous government chose to sit on its hands as these challenges grew.

We are about to announce the details of the review. We are about to announce the personnel associated with that review. I would advise the shadow minister that, unlike the reviews that he undertook into the Bureau of Meteorology, where the sorts of figures that he has used were in fact paid to the reviewers, the figures he has quoted are wrong.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. In that case, how much will Mr Bracks be paid per day, seeing that it was not denied that he was going to be appointed? Will the minister share with the Australian people how much Mr Bracks will be paid? If Mr Bracks is to be appointed, is that not a breach of the Prime Minister’s promise not to appoint Labor boys to jobs—jobs for the boys? More importantly, did his department not advise him that the inquiry should be undertaken by the Productivity Commission?

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

I indicate to the shadow minister that perhaps he should go back to his sources and check his facts. One of the great joys of opposition is that you are often advised of things which are incorrect and, if you are stupid enough to repeat them in here, all the best to you.