Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

Standing orders should be suspended because we saw tens of thousands of jobs on the chopping block yesterday and that is an important issue. We know that it has happened on this government's watch. That is why the standing orders should be suspended. We had Holden, which the Treasurer goaded to go. The car components industry needs two large car manufacturers to be able to justify their volume and scale. They are in trouble. They have told that to Toyota. Toyota said yesterday, 'It's getting the scale that is the challenge, including the components suppliers.' This government have never seen an Australian job they want to fight for. Now they shrug their shoulders and say: 'It's just the cycle in things. Some jobs go and some jobs come.' That is not right. This tide of jobs is going overseas.

Before the election you could not get the now government, then opposition, spokespeople away. Between manufacturing workers and cameras were opposition spokespersons saying: 'We're on your side.' I bet a Tatts ticket that the Prime Minister will not be visiting Toyota workers any time in the next three years. There is no fear of being mugged by a Liberal spokesperson at a car company. That will be a government-free zone.

The real problem is that before the election this government said, 'We are for manufacturing.' They said in 2011—and the record speaks for itself—'Without a car industry, you can't be a First World economy.' They said, 'Without a car industry, a steel industry, a cement industry and an aluminium industry you can't be a sophisticated economy.' What great news it is now for Australia. These people are dumbing down the Australian economy. They have no plan for the future of jobs. What is worse, what is most culpable, about the crew opposite is that they will not fight.

This government have a choice. Do they want to race to the bottom or do they want to race to the top? Do they want this country to be a smarter country or a poorer country? They have surrendered the war to keep manufacturing in Australia and the list of battle defeats includes Electrolux, Simplot and the Gove refinery. Two thousand people are going to have to move out of Gove—and that will create a ghost town up there—because this government does not know how to stand up for people. The real shame of this government is that they think they can run Australia by dividing Australia. Let me give one warning to the government. You think you can divide Australia, can give up on manufacturing, can blame employees and can keep hunting down all those who disagree with you and blame them, but the Australian people will mark you down for the death of the car industry because we hold you responsible. (Time expired)

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