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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
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GM HOLDEN

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood—Leader of the Opposition) (14:15): My question is to the Premier. As the Premier does not support abolishing the carbon tax and he does not support wage cuts at Holden and he does not support an automotive industry task force, does he support a federal Productivity Commission review of the car industry to ensure assistance to the sector is targeted and effective?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (14:15): I thank the honourable member for his question. One of the reasons we are actually debating the future of Holden's at the moment is because of the uncertainty created by the federal Coalition's commitment to cancel $500 million of public investment and put at jeopardy a further $1.5 billion of investment. Let's be absolutely clear about that. The order of magnitude of what those opposite are talking about is small in comparison with those matters.

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: Point of order from the member for Bragg.

Ms CHAPMAN: Quite clearly this is debate. The question was very simple: does he support a Productivity Commission inquiry?

The SPEAKER: Yes; the Premier is not responsible to the house for the Liberal Party's policies. The Premier.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: This is the uncertainty that has been created by a federal Coalition government, which most pundits predict—

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order, Mr Speaker. The Premier is repeating exactly the same material that was presented and, furthermore, is now defying your order. He started again on the Coalition.

The SPEAKER: The federal Coalition's policy on this matter is a matter of record, and the Premier need not share it with the house.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: What we are being asked to do is comment on the federal Coalition's policy, so I find it difficult to—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: I have been asked whether I support the reference to—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Yes, they are asking whether you support a particular element of the federal Coalition's policy, and it has been framed as: do you support the aspect about a Productivity Commission review?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: I don't, because it is creating the uncertainty, which is leading to the debate we have now. The reason we have committed—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Of course I don't support it. The federal government has committed to $2 billion worth of support for the automotive sector. Now, $500 million of it we know has now been cancelled, courtesy of the Coalition if they were to form a government, and a further $1.5 billion has been placed into limbo as a review is undertaken. I support the federal government's proposition about sending this $2 billion to this most important supply chain within Australian manufacturing.

There is only one fully complete supply chain of this sort in the nation: it is the car industry. It happens to have its home—or a very substantial part of its home—here in South Australia. If you do not understand how central car manufacturing is to the future of manufacturing in this state and you do not have a settled policy concerning it, you are not entitled to call yourself a political party with the respect of that name.

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order: now the Premier is insulting you.

The SPEAKER: No, I don't feel insulted. Does the Premier have more to offer us?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Yes, I certainly do, sir. The car manufacturing industry sits at the heart of a number of important supply chains that fan out across the South Australian manufacturing sector. The idea that you would jeopardise it by supporting a federal Coalition policy to pull $2 billion out of the support of that sector and still say that you are standing up for South Australia beggars belief.

This far into the life of this government—11 years into the life of this government, and a period for those opposite to have presumably come up with some policy to offer the people of South Australia nine short months from now at the election—for them not to have a policy on car manufacturing—

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: The member for Stuart. I presume the point of order will be debate, because the Premier is not confining himself to the question of Liberal Party policy he was asked about and is extending to another aspect of Liberal Party policy that you would prefer he did not discuss. Thank you. That will be enough, Premier. The member for Waite.

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