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

My question is to Senator Ronaldson, the Minister representing the Minister for Industry. On what date did the government receive the business case from Holden outlining the co-investment the company required to maintain its manufacturing operations in Australia? Did that business case confirm the company needed less than $150 million a year to guarantee continued manufacturing until the middle of next decade?

Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am not aware whether there was a business case delivered, and quite frankly I am not prepared to concede that Senator Carr is right or wrong. I have no further comment to make.

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

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. It is truly extraordinary, Minister, that you are not aware of such an important matter. I ask you this: did the Prime Minister meet with Holden to discuss its business case? If not, why not?

Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am unaware of whether the Prime Minister has met with them. That is a question that the Minister representing the Prime Minister might be able to answer. What I do know is that Minister Macfarlane met on a number of occasions with Holden. I understand, indeed, Minister Macfarlane will be meeting with Toyota.

But I suppose the real question here is: did Senator Carr, when he was the industry minister, speak to Holden prior to the cabinet meeting on 16 July, when he imposed a $1.8 billion slug on the automotive industry with the FBT? Did he indeed go to the industry and say, 'I am reducing or slashing the green innovation fund'? Did he go back and discuss any of his $1.5 billion reductions with those companies? (Time expired)

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

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Minister, you are quite clearly not aware of very much, but maybe you can help me here. Did the government make a decision on Holden's business case before the government launched its calculated attack upon the company last week and before the Acting Prime Minister wrote to the company, demanding an immediate decision on its future?

Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The shadow minister asks me what I knew. I am happy to go through that with him. The last two years, when he was industry minister most of the time, had $1.2 billion in funding reduced from—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! It does help me when people get to their feet for a point of order if they make the statement that they are seeking a point of order. That is the normal way in which people seek a point of order. Otherwise, my attention is distracted by other issues that are going on in the chamber, and I cannot have my eyes everywhere.

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, my point of order is on relevance. The question referred to the government making a decision. The minister began his answer by not even going close to what the question was, so I was just a little bit concerned about where we are going with the relevance. The relevant question, Minister, was before you.

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

Order! Minister, I draw your attention to the question. The minister does have 40 seconds remaining to address the question.

Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. I am not too sure what the Manager of Opposition Business missed in all that, but I was asked what I knew about these matters in relation to the industry by Senator Carr, and I invite you to check the Hansard. What I do know is that under Minister Carr's watch Ford withdrew from Australia, and I do know that under his watch Mitsubishi withdrew from Australia.

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

Mr President, on a point of order on relevance, the question was: did the government make a decision on Holden's business case before the government launched its attack on the company and before the Acting Prime Minister wrote to the company demanding an immediate decision on its future? It is a very important question as to whether this government in fact even determined how much assistance it would or would not provide to Holden before it demanded that it close. I ask that you return the minister to the question.

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

Order! I have ruled on a previous point of order where I drew the minister's attention to the question—that the minister should address the question. The minister needs to address the question, with 19 seconds remaining.

Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. I am terribly sorry if it was not implicit in my initial answer that I did not accept the premise, and I suppose I should have said so. But what I do know is that under Minister Carr, on 16 July this year, he went to a cabinet meeting and let down the workers of this country. (Time expired)