Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the weekend Holden had a win in the Bathurst 1000 but it will be the last appearance of the Holden factory team—a sad end to a fantastic brand. On this day three years ago the end of shift siren sounded for the last time at the Holden plant in Elizabeth. It was a sound that signalled the death knell of the Australian car industry. What a grim anniversary, not just for every worker who lost their job, not just for a proud part of our history coming to an end, but for a vital part of our future that was thrown away by this government. Cutting down the Australian auto industry dealt us out of a new wave of technology that could have been made in Elizabeth and Altona in Geelong instead of overseas. What a devastating self-inflicted wound. Australians will never forget that it was the government that drove Holden and other car makers out of Australia. 'Hockey dares GM to leave' was the Fin Review front page, and leave they did. Australians will never forget the actions of this government. When the Prime Minister offered a $1.5 billion plan to revive manufacturing, it was a bit like someone accidentally demolishing the wrong house and then offering to buy a new doorbell as compensation. Going by this Prime Minister's record you'll never get the doorbell, just the announcement.