Minister Announces New Assistance For Auto Industry

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by BroadyFord

http://minister.innovation.gov.au/Ca...CONTINUES.aspx

Media Release

Senator the Hon Kim Carr

31 Jan 2011


NEW CAR PLAN FOR A GREENER FUTURE – THE JOURNEY CONTINUES
The Government faced urgent challenges in the wake of the floods that have devastated large parts of eastern Australia. Reductions in spending and other sacrifices had to be made to help the nation fund the recovery.

As part of the response, the Government has closed applications to the Green Car Innovation Fund.

All contractual commitments and grant offers made by the Government through the Fund will be honoured; and applications received as at 27 January will be processed.

“The Government’s commitment to Australia’s automotive industry is strong and we recognise that manufacturing is a vital part of a strong and diverse economy,” Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr said.

This is a message Senator Carr will be taking directly to global CEOs when he visits company headquarters later in the year.

“The Green Car Innovation Fund is only one component of the New Car Plan for a Greener Future,” Senator Carr said.

“The Fund itself represents an additional commitment of up to $500 million to our manufacturing sector which will leverage approximately $2 billion in total investment. The Australian Government’s partnership with the sector will be maintained. This partnership sustained investment at a time of global retreat.

Thanks to the Green Car Innovation Fund our automotive sector will be more environmentally sustainable.

“The New Car Plan is introducing new technologies in Australia at a very rapid rate from hybrid engines, electric vehicles, new fuel systems, batteries and light-weighting. The Plan is instrumental in enabling the Australian automotive industry to emerge from the global economic crisis in better shape than many of its international counterparts.

“The Plan is strengthening the automotive supply chain by underpinning investment, building capability and expanding markets internationally. The industry is providing a critical mass of design, engineering and manufacturing skills fundamental to a diverse and resilient Australian economy. The industry is producing higher-quality vehicles with high-skilled, high-wage jobs for Australians.

“The centrepiece of this plan is the Automotive Transformation Scheme, which will provide support worth $3.4 billion up to 2020.

“This continued commitment to the Plan and the range of other industry schemes administered by my Department show that we remain committed to ensuring Australian automotive manufacturers produce Australian made vehicles that are easier on the pocket and the environment.”



^^ So if a company wants to produce enviro/fuel efficient cars/technology, can they now apply to do this through the ATS?

What a load of crap, this government should be ashamed of themselves. Pulling out of a program with no warning. The rebuilding of damaged QLD infrastructure is chump change for an economy the size of Australia and they are using it as an excuse to pull plugs on projects due to economic mismanagement.

As motoring and local car industry enthusiasts we should be sending a loud message that we dont want high-tech value adding industries used as political footballs.

The Green Car fund is used as a way to offset Australian car makers having some of the lowest tariff protection in the world, yet its outrageous they can cancel the fund and still leave tariffs low. We all know there are many other projects which could be reduced (cough, cough NBN), but the government sees fit to take a politically less dangerous position of targetting the car industry.

We threw away the aerospace industry in the 60s, now we are doing the same with the car industry.