Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

Can I give Senator Carr a history lesson, and also a lesson in how he ought to deport himself in this place?

When he was the minister for industry and I was the shadow minister for industry, the Mitsubishi motor company left Australia, and it no longer manufactures here. I took the point of view that politics should not be played with the issue, and I did not seek to lay blame at the feet of the Labor government. It is a pity that Senator Carr cannot bring the same maturity and statesman-like approach to this issue.

In relation to GM's statement, I would invite the shadow minister to have a look at the second paragraph, which included, tragically and avoidably, the comment that one of the reasons was the 'high cost of production'. I wonder if energy costs might have had something to do with that? I wonder whether the carbon tax might have had something to do with that? I wonder whether the FBT might have had something to do with that? I wonder whether the rate of company tax might have had something to do with that?

And even if none of those had anything to do with that: talk about ripping money out of the car industry—who said this?

Unfortunately the Green Car Innovation Fund was abolished, leaving international company executives wondering just what they had to do to get a consistent government policy commitment in Australia.

It was said by none other than Senator Kim Carr himself! It was Senator Kim Carr himself voting no confidence in the previous Labor government in which he served as industry minister. (Time expired)