Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister. I refer to General Motors Holden's submission to the Productivity Commission, which says:

Without public assistance, Holden's local manufacturing cannot compete globally.

Does the government accept that support is necessary to help sustain the auto industry and the thousands of people it employs in Australia?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can confirm to the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate that the government does believe that GMH and other manufacturers deserve government support. The sort of support which we have already put on the table for GMH includes abolition of Labor's FBT proposal, which would have put a dagger into the heart of the automotive manufacturing sector in this country. We have also said that we would remove the carbon tax, which we know has the impact of a reverse tariff of approximately $400 per vehicle made in Australia.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You know that's wrong.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Carr should tell PricewaterhouseCoopers that they have got it wrong. If I have the choice of Senator Carr or PricewaterhouseCoopers, I plead guilty to accepting the advice of PricewaterhouseCoopers any day of the week. We have already put in place a plan that would be of great assistance to the auto sector and who stands in the way of delivering that assistance to the automotive sector? The Australian Labor Party is playing sabotage with the will of the Australian people, as expressed on 7 September. We know and the Australian people know that—

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Abetz, you are entitled to be heard in silence. When there is silence I will ask you to proceed.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Australian people know that this nation needs a plan to reboot the Australian economy. We delivered that plan and the Australian people endorsed it on 7 September 2013. Regrettably, those on the other side are not willing to accept the result and are therefore using or abusing the excess numbers they currently enjoy in this place to sabotage our policies. (Time expired)

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I refer to the coalition minister quoted in Fairfax Media saying that Holden was 'full of it' and that, 'They don't want to be saved.' Does this minister speak for the government?

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is not much use asking the question and then trying to debate the question; that is futile. Order! The minister is entitled to be heard in silence.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The only person I know who used the expression 'full of it' was Senator Conroy describing former Prime Minister Rudd. Here we go. The Leader of the Opposition in this place is trying to quote an anonymous source and she tells us we should somehow take it seriously. I say to the Leader of the Opposition that if she wants to come into this place she should come up with some credible assertion and not just, 'We believe he said, she said to somebody,' and it happens to be printed in the media. As far as this government is concerned, the GMH workers are entitled to consideration by government. Government is giving them that consideration and the government has also put forward a plan to abolish the reckless FBT policy. Of course, when I look at Senator Carr, I can never but get out of my mind the cash for clunkers disaster. (Time expired)

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Today is the fifth day running in which coalition ministers have been responsible for destructive background briefing on Holden. When will the Prime Minister put an end to this irresponsible behaviour, which puts at risk the jobs of thousands of Australians?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Here we have a genuinely serious situation for members of the automotive manufacturing sector in this country and all that Senator Wong can engage in is the game of politics, talking about alleged destructive background briefing. Senator Wong and those on the other side would know about destructive background briefing. They would recognise it if they ever saw it because that is exactly what they did to Mr Rudd and then to Ms Gillard, and of course since the election against Mr Rudd as well. From that shambolic government we inherited a mess. From that shambolic government we have said that we will take responsibility for cleaning up that mess.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Rubbish, indolent rubbish!

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Carr.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would invite Senator Carr simply to apologise to the automotive workers. Every 19 minutes a manufacturing job was lost under your stewardship in this country.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Abetz, resume your seat. Senator Wong is on her feet.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order as to relevance. I would think that workers across this nation, including in my home state of South Australia, deserve a better response from the representative of the Prime Minister in this chamber as to the behaviour of his ministers.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order. I cannot tell a minister how to answer or respond to a question. It would assist question time if people did not interject on the answers and then invite a response at that time as well. You have six seconds remaining, Minister.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. I thought it was a very good answer. If she thinks it could be even better, I will try to do even better for her. (Time expired)