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

I trust the senator is aware of the 250 new jobs that will flow directly from this program. Our strategy has been to encourage higher levels of integration of the Australian automotive industry into global supply chains. Not only are we providing co-investment support for Chinese companies and companies that are directly working with the Chinese industry, we are also doing it in India, the United States and Germany. In fact, the whole approach is to ensure that we are able to maximise job opportunities for Australian workers by building the international competitiveness of the Australian automotive industry, opening up new products, opening up new industrial processes and opening up new markets. That is at the core of the New Car Plan for a Greener Future, about the transformation of the industry. That will not happen by us concentrating on just trying to develop a totally indigenous industry, trading entirely within Australia. This is an international industry. (Time expired)