Nick Champion (Wakefield, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am more than happy to withdraw. This is the government's approach. First of all it does nothing; it sits on its hands. It wanders around the place. The government sends representatives to do tours of the factory and it has inquiries but we do not see much action.

The second phase is to divide, leak, damage the brand, attack and demonise the workers, and attack the community. It is everybody else's fault; it is not the government's fault.

The final phase is to objectify and demonise foreign investment. We saw this on the issue of GrainCorp, thanks to the member for New England. We know who won that battle. There is a fear of foreign investment and a demonisation of foreign investment. General Motors want to invest $1 billion here and put two models into production. They are committed to this country even though the dollar is high. Those on the opposite side of the chamber are putting up the big, 'closed for business' sign. With regard to GrainCorp they put up the big 'closed for business' sign. What has been the result of this approach of doing nothing, dividing and demonising foreign investment? The result is that jobs are at risk, industry is at risk, household wealth is at risk and two state economies are at risk. If jobs are at risk the Australian economy is at risk.

It is not just my state that is affected. In Victoria there are 30,000 jobs at risk. You would think that that would sharpen the mind of the Victorian members a little. Thousands of jobs are at risk in South Australia. Thousands of automotive components jobs are at risk in New South Wales. Even in Queensland there are thousands of jobs at risk. And what has been the response of those opposite? The response is, 'It's just industry's fault. We're just the government; what could we do?' You are in charge and people expect you to do something.

I have seen the workers in this industry in my electorate. I was lucky enough to get leave from parliament last Thursday to visit the factory. I was there with Murray Akehurst, who was quoted in the Advertiser. He is 50 years old. He has spent 16 years working at Holden's Elizabeth plant. The Advertiser quoted him:

"Everyone's scared stiff but we're not just going to roll over and die and let our jobs go," Mr Akehurst said.

What are the government doing at this time? They are divided. They are briefing the media against each other. They could not care less. The government are divided and confused. They triggered this debate. We have been going on a merry hunt for the leaker. It could be the member for Mayo; it could be Senator Cormann in the other place. It could be any one of them, but we know that they are leaking in terms of their own manufacturing minister. And we had the manufacturing minister asking the ABC to identify its sources.

So we have a divided and confused cabinet. Basically, this government has taken on the character of its Prime Minister, who is a weird combination of Malcolm Fraser, Richard Nixon and BA Santamaria. The government does nothing; it divides; it is reactionary and, in the end, it demonises foreign investment. It is all about this closed, little Australia that does not invest in anything and does not make anything—this antiquated economy. It is not good for Australia. Government members should get up off their hands and do something about it. (Time expired)

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