Skye Kakoschke-Moore (SA, Nick Xenophon Team) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Xenophon, I move:

That—

(a) the Senate notes that:

  (i) the President's report to the Senate on government responses outstanding to parliamentary committee reports as at 30 June 2016, listed the report of the Economics References Committee on the future of Australia's automotive industry as amongst the reports the Government had failed to respond to within the 3 month timeframe, and

  (ii) the Government still has not provided a formal response to the committee's report, although it has been 10 months since the report was tabled; and

(b) there be laid on the table by no later than 3.30 pm on 10 October 2016 by the Minister representing the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science the Government's response to the report of the Economics References Committee on the future of Australia's automotive industry, dated 1 December 2015.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government is developing its response to the Senate inquiry. The report contains 20 wide-ranging recommendations that cut across the responsibilities of five portfolios. The government expects to respond to the report in the near term. In their dissenting report, government senators supported further work in relation to a number of recommendations, in order to give the vehicle and component makers certainty to cope with the decline in production and volumes. Government senators oppose changes to the Automotive Transformation Scheme in order to ensure an orderly transition of the automotive sector post 2017. For this reason, the government will maintain the scheme in its original form, as legislated, until that time. Firms that undertake eligible Automotive Transformation Scheme activities, excluding on the export side of their businesses, can continue to apply the funding during this period.

Question agreed to.