Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Carr. Has the minister yet written to state and territory governments, as recommended by the Bracks review, requesting them to reduce stamp duties, reduce vehicle registration costs and reduce compulsory third-party premiums to facilitate more new car sales? What response has the minister received?

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

The proposals that were contained in Mr Bracks’s report by and large have been accepted by the government; the architecture of that report I think has been accepted in general terms. I have had preliminary conversations with the premiers of the two major car-producing states, Victoria and New South Wales.

Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Joyce interjecting—

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

I have not written to them. I indicate to you now, Senator, that I have not written to them. But of course I have indicated that we are forming a national innovation council on which the states will be represented and which will provide the opportunity to actually advance this agenda on an ongoing basis, because the first and foremost aim of this plan is to actually maintain and create jobs, not just in the car industry but in all of those industries that supply it and depend on it. When we talk about jobs in the car industry, we have to consider not just the 65,000 workers directly employed but the 200,000 or more workers who owe their jobs to this industry in one way or another.

Senator Joyce would be only too well aware of how important it is to maintain as many jobs in this industry as possible and of how important is this plan, which is about transforming the industry in ways that are able to generate new and sustainable jobs for the years ahead. We will be talking to the states about the ways in which we can green up the industry, which will inevitably change the nature of the work that it does and the nature of the jobs that it provides. There will increasingly be jobs which might be described as green-collar jobs, jobs with a future in a low-carbon economy—and all of the states that are associated with the car industry have a strong commitment to those.

This is a plan designed to give Australia a head start in developing fuel-saving and carbon-cutting technologies for the global market. Of course the states are very much interested in that because, as the demand for new technology grows, there will also be new job opportunities that will grow, Senator Joyce. The plan requires significant co-investment from the industry of up to $18 billion—in fact, probably much, much more than that. The states will be involved in that. That has been the basis of my discussion with the premiers. We are serious about attracting the kinds of investments that are needed to boost innovation, to create jobs and to provide certainty—unlike the opposition, which is all about saying anything and doing anything and undermining confidence, undermining jobs, undermining prosperity and undermining certainty for Australian working families. The opposition has not made up its mind as to whether or not it supports the automotive industry in this country.

Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I have a point of order as to relevance. Senator Carr has had three minutes to deal with this question and he has not once mentioned reducing stamp duties, vehicle registration costs and compulsory third-party premiums to facilitate more new car sales and why he has not yet written to state and territory governments, as recommended by the Bracks review. That recommendation was accepted. He has had it for about three months. Would you direct him to be relevant.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on the point of order: what we have heard is a reiteration of the question. It is not appropriate to use the provision to say, ‘I want to take a point of order,’ and then re-ask the question. What it is all about and what we have heard from Senator Carr is an answer on point in respect of the question asked. That is what we have heard, so there is no point of order in respect of this issue. It should not be an opportunity to use a point of order as a way of putting up your question again in this chamber.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order. As you know, I cannot direct the minister to answer the question in a particular way. I can draw the minister’s attention to being relevant to the question that was asked. The minister has 54 seconds left to answer the question.

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

I have been relevant right through this answer. I have indicated that I have had conversations with the premiers of South Australia and Victoria about the details of the Bracks review. I have also had conversations that go to the issue of their support for keeping this critical industry’s capabilities in Australia. The premiers are very concerned about keeping the capabilities because this is so vital to Australian manufacturing, to job security and to the quality of life for Australian working people. It is a pity the opposition did not share that commitment. It is a pity the opposition was not more concerned about jobs. It is a pity the opposition was not more concerned about high-skilled, high-wage jobs instead of being committed to driving down wages, to maintaining job insecurity and to trying to terrify people— (Time expired)

Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I thank Senator Carr for the only relevant thing he has said, which is that he has not written to the respective ministers. Given that he has not written to them, maybe it will be easier now, given the 17 per cent collapse in new car sales in the segment as a result of Labor’s luxury car tax increase. Will the minister also write to the Prime Minister and to the Treasurer to request a reduction in this ill-considered tax?

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

I have indicated to the Senate that the premiers of South Australia and Victoria have indicated to me their commitment to the Australian automotive industry. They acknowledge just how internationally significant our international competitiveness is. They, of course, understand that Australia is a country that exports cars to every continent except Antarctica. They, of course, understand the importance of increasing the number of green-collar jobs, which have a future in a carbon constrained world. The government has a plan which has widespread support across the industry—except from the opposition, I might say—to restore confidence, to inspire creativity and to get new projects going. That is what the premiers are interested in. They are ensuring that we keep this critical industry’s capabilities in Australia. (Time expired)