Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

The government has made it very clear that it is our intention to move quickly to transform the Australian vehicle industry. We are facing an acute challenge in ensuring that this country is able to respond to the questions of climate change. The previous government chose to ignore these pressures. The previous government chose, for 11 years, to stick its head in the sand and to deny that climate change was an important issue. In fact, I remember that the Leader of the Government in the Senate at the time indicated on numerous occasions his pride at being a climate change sceptic. Of course, he is now the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, and I wonder whether he still holds those views. I wonder whether or not there has been a transformation in his attitude.

It is the case that the Australian government has made it very clear to the entire industry that our intention is to move quickly. We established the Bracks review to ensure that the broadest possible consultations are had with the Australian auto industry. As I recently indicated, I have had advanced discussions with the major manufacturers—and many of them are the most significant component manufacturers in Australia and internationally—about the prospects of ensuring that new investments are placed quickly so that we can move to have new vehicles on Australian roads and to do so by 2010. I want to emphasise the point that these will be Australian made cars produced by Australian workers with the most advanced technologies that are available in the automotive industry at the moment, because it seems to be a point that is neglected by the opposition. I am confident that by 2010 Australian made cars will feature low emissions and fuel efficient technologies such as hybrid vehicles, diesel engines, active fuel management, direct injection engines made in Australia, enhanced biofuel capabilities, dual petrol-LPG vehicles and LPG-only vehicles. That is all in Australian made vehicles.