ABC NewsRadio with Marius Benson

E&OE TRANSCRIPT Interview on ABC Newsradio with Marius Benson Date: 11 February 2014 SUBJECT: Closure of Toyota MARIUS BENSON: Christopher Pyne the Federal Government has famously said that Australia is open for business but now it is closing down for car making, that is a disappointment obviously. CHRISTOPHER PYNE: Yes it is deeply disappointing particularly for the workers in the car industry but I think for all Australians General Motors in Detroit’s decision about Holden and Japan’s decision about Toyota is a sad day for our country. MARIUS BENSON: And how much responsibility does the Federal Government take for that result. CHRISTOPHER PYNE: Well obviously nobody wants to try and apportion blame. The simple reality is that it is very expensive to manufacture motor vehicles in Australia and the man responsible at General Motors in Detroit said no amount of money that the Commonwealth could have given would have made Holden make a decision to keep manufacturing in Australia because it simply isn’t economic. Whether it’s the dollar, whether it’s the cost of labor, whether it’s the conditions under which the workers are employed after decades of union control of the workplace. All of these factors have combined in a perfect storm to make it uneconomic to produce vehicles in Australia and it’s a great sadness for everyone. MARIUS BENSON: There are warnings that Victoria with Toyota and South Australia with Holden now face recession. Is that realistic? CHRISTOPHER PYNE: Well I’m not a doomsayer so I would look forward to working with the Victorian Government and of course the South Australian Government to ensure the policies are in place to bring about a growing economy. We have all the basics that one needs, mining, agriculture, aquaculture, high quality higher education. There is no reason why South Australia and Victoria can’t both be very wealthy states. MARIUS BENSON: What will be the impact on the state election in your own state of South Australia which is only a month away now? CHRISTOPHER PYNE: Well I think the South Australian public are well aware that the Weatherill Government after 12 years in power is tired and run out of ideas and a divided rabble. The Toyota decision will only confirm in voters minds in South Australia that Holden closed not because of Federal Government policy but because of the perfect storm of events that made it uneconomic for it to continue. So I think that Mr Weatherill’s complaining and whingeing about Canberra will be seen for what it is. MARIUS BENSON: One of the criticisms being directed at the Government from Labor circles and Union circles is you can find tens of millions of dollars for new Royal Commissions to investigate the union movement but you can’t find money to support local manufacturers. Is that reasonable? CHRISTOPHER PYNE: No I think it’s trite and I think it’s a light weight argument. Clearly the Government had billions of dollars, $30 billion in some estimates since 1995 that we put into the car industry and no amount of money would save Toyota and Holden that was made very clear by General Motors in Detroit. So I think it’s a sad and pathetic argument and perhaps the union movement shouldn’t have been petitioning the Federal Court to stop Toyota from addressing the conditions of Toyota workers. Rather they should look into their own backyard rather than trying to shift blame someone else. MARIUS BENSON: Just quickly, there’s a Newspoll the first Newspoll of the year is out. It shows no big movement in the party positions, you’re about 50/50, Labor ahead 51 to 49 but Bill Shorten’s honeymoon appears to be over with his satisfaction dropping from 44 to 35. CHRISTOPHER PYNE: Well polls come and go as you know Marius. I’m not surprised that Bill Shorten’s approval would be fallen. He has spent most of the summer on holiday and not really looking hungry for the job. I think he exudes a cockiness and a boredom with the job that isn’t becoming. MARIUS BENSON: The public rates him at zero when you take the dissatisfaction from satisfaction but he’s ahead of Tony Abbott who’s on minus 5. CHRISTOPHER PYNE: Well as I say polls come and go Marius and really only poll that will count is a long three years away. MARIUS BENSON: Christopher Pyne, thank you very much. CHRISTOPHER PYNE: It’s a pleasure, thank you. [ends]