Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. The plan was hatched the previous week that Mr Grant’s case would be taken up with Ford Credit by Treasury at a time when Ford Credit was dependent, was relying for its own survival as a financing business in Australia to get half a billion dollars from the Commonwealth. In that context of enormous vulnerability, when the influence of the Commonwealth was greater than it could ever be imagined to be in normal circumstances, at that point John Grant’s case was raised by the Treasury officials. Then the upshot of the meeting was duly reported that very evening to Mr Swan and to his office and, according to Mr Grech, all went well. Ford Credit have said that they will shut down their business if they cannot get the $500 million. In the context of that, when Ford Credit was as desperate as any business could be for $500 million of Commonwealth money—can we imagine a position where the Commonwealth has greater leverage over any business?—at that point with all of that leverage, with the knowledge, the connivance, the support and the request of the Treasurer, the case of one dealer and one dealer alone is raised with Ford Credit, and who is it? The crony and benefactor of the Prime Minister—John Grant. Nobody else. He is a very special person. That was provided to him.

In the light of all of that, the Treasurer came into this House and said: ‘Mr Grant would have received the same assistance as any other car dealer who was referred through that process received.’ Notice the use of the word ‘would’.

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