Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I was asked about apologies. I think the member for Indi should apologise, along with the Leader of the Opposition, for their plan to cut assistance to the automotive sector by $500 million. They should apologise for standing for a plan that would cut in half assistance to 2015. They should apologise for standing for a plan that puts at risk the jobs of every auto worker in this country—that is, 50,000 direct jobs at Holden, Toyota and dozens of suppliers and a further 200,000 jobs in related industries. The member for Indi and the Leader of the Opposition should apologise for that.

On this side of the parliament, unlike those opposite, we stand for jobs and growth. We stand for working with manufacturing to ensure that it is a source of strength for the Australian economy into the future and we will not endorse the opposition's plans to cut to the bone, including cutting industry assistance to the bone, and potentially seeing tens of thousands of Australians thrown out of work.

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