Christopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I only rise to speak in this debate about the reviews of the South Australian and Victorian economies because what I like to see in this chamber is reasonable debate—but I will never ever stand by and listen to hypocrisy and cynicism writ large, such as that which we had from Senator Carr in his contribution to this particular discussion this evening. It was when Senator Carr was the minister—Carr by name and car by nature—that we actually saw visited upon the car manufacturing industry in this country the worst levels of cynicism that, I think, are imaginable.

They were firstly—through you, Senator Mason, because you would remember it well—the imposition of a carbon tax equating to some $400 per vehicle. That is $400 per vehicle, in case Senator Bilyk did not hear it, on an already desperate and desecrated manufacturing industry. I remind the chamber and those listening that there were one million cars sold in this country per annum on average in the last two to three years. The proportion manufactured in this country has declined from 20 per cent down to some 10 per cent.

This is the consumer—to my good colleagues on the other side—making his and her own decisions with regard to the types of vehicles that they want to purchase. Unless, the Labor opposition—supported by the Greens—is thinking about going back to nationalising the car industry or vehicle protection, who can possibly imagine what greater harm you could do to an already failing and fading manufacturing industry than to put a $400 tax on locally manufactured vehicles—but no $400 tax on imported vehicles?

But that was not enough. We hear from Senator Carr—and regrettably from Senator Gallacher, for whom I have far higher regard than I have for Senator Carr—some comments about the role of the coalition in the demise of the car manufacturing industry. I do remind those on the other side that, unless I am mistaken, it might have been under Labor's watch that Mitsubishi actually ceased manufacturing. I am delighted to learn about the hub that has now been created, but it was under the Labor government that Mitsubishi pulled the pin. I believe the Ford company also made its decision to cease manufacturing whilst Labor was in government.

When it comes to Senator Carr accusing the coalition with regard to General Motors, I can report that, whilst I was in the United States in the latter part of last year, I actually heard a question asked to an executive of General Motors in Detroit. When he was asked whether there was going to be a discontinuing of vehicle manufacturing by General Motors in Australia, his retort was, 'Didn't we stop manufacturing Holdens in Australia straight after the global financial crisis?' He did not even know that we still were manufacturing General Motors Holden vehicles in this country as recently as 2013. Let me remind Senator Carr, in case he was not aware or had forgotten, that Detroit recently declared itself bankrupt. They were bankrupted because of the failure of decisions they had made. This coalition government will try to protect the long-term jobs of people in the industry. We will not stand by and see cynicism or hypocrisy from Senator Carr.